Arsenal could now move into pole position in the race to sign Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez this summer.
The Gunners continue searching for another elite attacker despite winning the Premier League title last season.
Mikel Arteta wants to strengthen the squad again after Arsenal also reached the Champions League and Carabao Cup finals during a historic campaign.
A new forward remains one of the club’s biggest priorities during the transfer window. Julian Alvarez has now emerged as one of the biggest names linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium.
The Argentina international attracted strong interest from Barcelona for much of the year. However, Atletico Madrid repeatedly resisted attempts to open negotiations.
The situation later intensified after Real Madrid entered the race. Los Blancos reportedly submitted a €150M offer for Alvarez, but Atletico rejected the proposal immediately.
That failed approach also sparked another public exchange between the Madrid rivals after Atletico criticised Real Madrid on social media.
While Barcelona and Real Madrid dominated headlines, Arsenal quietly continued monitoring the situation in the background.
Now, according to AS, Arsenal may hold the strongest position in the race for Alvarez.
The report claims Arsenal remain the only club currently showing both serious financial capacity and strong interest in completing a deal.
Barcelona reportedly refuse to increase their highest offer of €100M. The Spanish champions may now shift focus towards Chelsea forward Joao Pedro instead.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid reportedly plan to move away from Alvarez after Atletico rejected their latest proposal. That development now leaves Arsenal in a stronger position than before.
However, completing a deal still looks extremely difficult. Atletico Madrid continue pointing towards Alvarez’s enormous €500M release clause whenever clubs enquire about the striker.
Reports also suggest certain Champions League clubs could potentially secure a deal closer to €150M, although taxes would increase the final cost significantly.
Arsenal must now decide whether they want to commit to such a huge financial package.
The transfer could potentially rival or even surpass the Premier League record deal Liverpool completed for Alexander Isak last summer.
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