Yamal's mother names Merino as Spain's most underrated while Alvarez agent denies Real Madrid contact

Lamine Yamal’s mother has publicly singled out Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino as her pick for the most underrated player in the Spain squad, while Julian Alvarez’s agent has moved to deny reports of contact from Real Madrid over a potential transfer for the Atletico Madrid striker.

Yamal’s mum backs Merino

The endorsement came during a YouTube segment on Yamal’s channel in which the Barcelona forward asked family members to name lesser-praised players at the World Cup. After Yamal himself cited Ferran Torres, Thomas Muller and Gerard Martin, his mother offered an unprompted tribute to his Spain teammate. “Merino from Arsenal,” she said. “I’m a big fan of Merino.”

The praise is well-founded by the numbers. Merino has scored 10 goals in 42 appearances for Spain and contributed 23 goals or assists across 78 games for Arsenal since joining the club.

Alvarez agent dismisses Real Madrid links

Julian Alvarez’s representative Fernando Hidalgo has pushed back on widespread reports in Spain suggesting Real Madrid are closing in on the Argentina striker. Speaking to 365Scores, Hidalgo was unequivocal: “We have no information on the matter, and no one has contacted us about it.”

Alvarez has emerged as one of the most sought-after forwards in world football heading into the summer window. Arsenal have maintained a long-standing interest in the 25-year-old that predates his move to Atletico Madrid, stretching back to his time at Manchester City. Barcelona are reported to have already submitted a bid, and Paris Saint-Germain are also monitoring the situation.

Alvarez himself has declined to address speculation about his future publicly, though he acknowledged several months ago that he could not guarantee he would remain at Atletico beyond the current season. With the World Cup now under way, his performances on the international stage are likely to intensify the competition for his signature.

Arsenal have 16 players representing their club at the tournament, including Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Merino, giving manager Mikel Arteta a prominent presence across the competition as he monitors both his existing squad and potential additions ahead of the 2026/27 season.