Arsenal considering summer transfer for Julián Álvarez – sources
Arsenal is considering the option of making a summer bid for Atlético Madrid striker Julián Álvarez, according to sources cited by ESPN.
Gunners sporting director Andrea Berta has established connections with the LaLiga team after spending 12 years at the club before relocating to north London last March.
Berta was responsible for negotiating Álvarez’s €95 million ($82.4m) transfer from Manchester City in August 2024, and sources indicate he maintains a strong rapport with the player’s agent, Fernando Hidalgo, and his representatives.
Barcelona has a significant interest in Álvarez; however, their ongoing financial challenges seem to hinder a potential transaction of this magnitude.
Álvarez is believed to have a substantial €500m release clause in his contract, but sources in Spain indicate that Atlético would seek a fee exceeding €100m this summer, should they consider selling him at all.
Since joining Atlético, Álvarez has netted 40 goals in 85 matches and is contracted until 2030.
The precise nature of Arsenal’s communication is not fully known, but sources suggest that club officials have made informal inquiries to assess the feasibility of a deal before deciding whether to formalize their interest later in the year.
ESPN sources have reported that Arsenal evaluated Álvarez among several forwards—including Benjamin Sesko, who transferred to Manchester United from Red Bull Leipzig—prior to acquiring Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting Lisbon last summer.
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Gyökeres has experienced a varied start to his tenure with the Gunners. The 27-year-old scored his ninth goal of the season in Tuesday’s Champions League victory against Inter Milan, but he has found it challenging to match the prolific scoring rate that saw him average nearly a goal per game in Portugal during two seasons with Sporting.
He has made 27 appearances thus far. Gabriel Jesus scored twice against Inter and expressed his intention to remain beyond his current contract, which is set to expire in 2027.
However, Jesus confirmed that discussions regarding an extension have not yet occurred, and sources have indicated that Arsenal may be open to considering offers for the Brazilian at the end of the season.
Arsenal is expected to have Kai Havertz fully fit again soon as the Gunners continue to compete on four fronts. Midfielder Mikel Merino has occasionally played as a makeshift striker when the club’s three forwards were unavailable.
