Arsenal Opens Door for Barcelona in Julián Álvarez Deal

Spanish newspaper Sport has revealed that Arsenal's decision to aggressively pursue Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. may give Barcelona a greater opportunity to move for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez.

Atletico Madrid has taken a firm stance against Barcelona's desire to sign Argentine forward Alvarez, as the Madrid club has so far refused to enter negotiations, despite Alvarez's declaration of his wish to leave in order to fulfill his dream of wearing the Catalan team's jersey.

Julián Alvarez's market value has surged to around €120 million following his standout performances in the 2026 World Cup. Meanwhile, Barcelona has made a bid of nearly €100 million, which has not been accepted by Atlético Madrid.

Arsenal has emerged as a strong contender against Barcelona and Atletico, as the English club is prepared to submit a massive offer nearing €100 million, along with the inclusion of Swedish striker Victor Gyökeres in the deal. Gyökeres is a player Arsenal paid €64 million to acquire in the summer of 2025.

However, Arsenal's surprising interest in signing Vinicius Junior could change the dynamics of the transfer market, as Atletico Madrid may lose one of their key alternatives to pressure Barcelona and refuse to sell Alvarez to the Catalan club.

Despite this, Barcelona does not seem ready to exceed certain financial limits in the deal, as there is a division within the club between those who believe in maintaining the €100 million offer without increasing it, and those who prefer to wait in the hope that Alvarez will make a new public move to pressure Atletico's management to open negotiations.

Barcelona hopes the player's clear desire to move to Spotify Camp Nou will sway Atletico Madrid's stance. Meanwhile, Atletico continues to insist on keeping the Argentine forward under coach Diego Simeone.