Julian Alvarez has been at the centre of a major transfer saga involving Atletico Madrid, Arsenal and Barcelona this summer.
Barcelona remain his preferred destination, with the Argentine keen to stay in Spain for lifestyle and family reasons.
However, Atletico absolutely do not want to sell Alvarez to their La Liga rivals. That position was reiterated during meetings this week.
Barcelona could potentially change Atletico’s stance by submitting an offer worth around €150 million (£128 million).
However, both Atletico and Arsenal believe Barcelona currently do not have the available budget to reach that figure.
That situation has encouraged Arsenal, who have continued working on a deal as the transfer window approaches its conclusion.
According to The Independent, Atletico Madrid want the Julian Alvarez transfer saga resolved by Friday, essentially giving him a choice over his future.
Atletico want enough time to prepare for replacements if Alvarez pushes for Arsenal and the English champions meet their demands.
Meanwhile, Arsenal believe the situation could increasingly tilt in their favour as the end of the transfer window gets closer.
The Gunners could also have another advantage because Atletico manager Diego Simeone wants to strengthen his attacking options.
Both Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus appeal to Atletico, creating the possibility of Arsenal including forwards in an agreement.
Arsenal could offer Gyokeres, or both forwards, alongside a financial fee to help secure an agreement.
Furthermore, Alvarez has softened his stance on a potential Arsenal move despite still preferring Barcelona.
Arsenal have told Alvarez they would use him in his best position and build their attack around him.
That could appeal after a season in which Simeone used Alvarez in an unusual role at Atletico Madrid.
However, Friday now represents the crucial point, with Atletico determined to receive clarity before the transfer window closes.
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