The truth about the potential swap deal between Arsenal and Atlético in January

Fabrizio Romano has clarified the speculation regarding a potential swap deal between Arsenal and Atlético, with Julián Alvarez moving to the English club in exchange for Martín Zubimendi heading to the Spanish side this January.

Arsenal tried to sign Julián Alvarez last summer, but the Argentine forward was keen on a move to FC Barcelona, while Mikel Arteta was unable to convince him to join his team.

In contrast, Martín Zubimendi is not getting regular playing opportunities at Arsenal and is attracting interest from Atlético and Chelsea, amid discussions about the possibility of using him in a swap deal to acquire Julián Alvarez.

However, Romano confirmed via his YouTube channel that there are no negotiations between the two clubs, noting that Atlético does not intend to pay between €65 million and €80 million to sign the midfielder in January, despite being impressed by his potential.

He added that Zubimendi does not feel an urgent desire to leave Arsenal, despite looking forward to participating more. He also noted that Xabi Alonso, Chelsea's manager, is impressed with the player, but he ruled out Arsenal agreeing to sell him to their London rival, suggesting that Alex Scott of AFC Bournemouth could be Chelsea's next target in midfield.