Marcos Llorente admits Alvarez's Atletico future is uncertain amid Arsenal interest

Julian Alvarez’s future at Atletico Madrid remains unresolved, with team-mate Marcos Llorente admitting he has no clarity on whether the Argentine will stay — a candid assessment that will encourage Arsenal as they weigh a move for the 26-year-old forward.

Speaking to El Partidazo de COPE, Llorente said he does not ask Alvarez about a potential transfer and that his colleague appears settled on the surface, but added: “Maybe he wants to leave and we don’t know.” He went further, saying that as things stand, “neither does he” know what he will do — a striking admission given Alvarez is contracted at the Metropolitano until 2030 and carries a reported release clause of around £433 million.

Alvarez has scored 49 goals across two seasons in Spain and was central to Atletico’s run to the Champions League semi-finals, where they were eliminated by Arsenal. Spanish radio outlet Cadena SER has reported that Alvarez has indicated a desire to move on, and Arsenal are understood to have expressed interest in the player alongside Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.

The Gunners’ pursuit fits a broader recruitment picture outlined by The Guardian last week, which reported that manager Mikel Arteta will have access to significant funds as the club look to build on their first Premier League title in 22 years. A new forward is said to be Arteta’s top priority this window.

Arsenal face stiff competition, however. Mundo Deportivo reports that PSG are prepared to submit an offer exceeding £86 million, with coach Luis Enrique said to have already contacted Alvarez directly. Barcelona president Joan Laporta has also publicly declared that finances will not be a barrier to a deal.

Atletico manager Diego Simeone, when pressed on the striker’s situation, declined to speak for his player. “That’s not a question for me, it’s a question for Julian,” Simeone said. “He’s old enough to know what he’s going to do, and I imagine he’ll have made up his mind by now.”

Alvarez himself has been reluctant to engage with the speculation. Ahead of the Champions League semi-final second leg against Arsenal, he said he tries “not to pay too much attention” to transfer rumours, noting that “new things come up every week” and that he cannot “come out to clarify or deny everything that comes up all the time.”

With a potential fee of up to £90 million cited and three of Europe’s biggest clubs circling, the coming weeks are likely to force a decision — whether Alvarez is ready to make one or not.