Mikel Arteta has assured his forwards that his office door is always open, urging them to approach him directly with any worries sparked by transfer rumours as Arsenal continue to weigh a late move for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez.
With speculation intensifying around a possible swoop for the Argentine, Arteta addressed the uncertainty this could cause among his current squad, particularly given the array of attacking options already on Arsenal's books. The north London club are reportedly prepared to pursue a deal for Alvarez, though only if there are clear signals of encouragement from the player's camp. Any such transfer would come at a considerable cost, with Atletico said to be demanding a fee in the region of £130 million.
Adding further intrigue to the situation, there has been talk that Viktor Gyokeres could be used as makeweight in a potential deal, while Gabriel Jesus appears set to depart Arsenal before the transfer window shuts.
Asked about how he manages the flow of transfer gossip with his players, Arteta was candid about his approach. "Whatever you read, if you have a question, come and knock on my door, and I will tell you whether it is true or not," he said. He acknowledged the sheer volume of names constantly linked with the club, joking that if every rumoured target were plastered on the walls, "we would need the whole building."
The Arsenal manager explained that he prefers to be proactive rather than wait for players to seek him out. "So I think they know that there's so much speculation with a lot of players. If ever they feel the doubt of what we think of them and if we're going to recruit a player, I tell them straight away," Arteta said. When asked if any player had already approached him this summer over the Alvarez links, he replied, "No. Normally I do it," adding that he informs squad members directly when Arsenal are targeting a player in their position, explaining the club's reasoning while reaffirming his belief in them despite rising internal competition.
The pursuit of Alvarez has taken an unusual turn amid reports from Spain suggesting Arteta attempted to contact the striker personally, only for Alvarez to decline the conversation. The 25-year-old has also missed the last two Atletico training sessions due to a stomach bug. Arteta declined to confirm or deny the reports of a failed phone call, simply stating, "You know I'm not going to make any comments about what is said publicly. If so I would be having a different job."
Despite the uncertainty, Arsenal have not given up hope of completing a deal before Tuesday's deadline, even as Alvarez reportedly continues to express a preference for a move to Barcelona instead.
Throughout his time at Arsenal, Arteta has repeatedly stressed that he only wants players who genuinely want to be at the club. Pressed on whether that philosophy might bend for a talent of Alvarez's calibre, the Spaniard outlined his usual method of engaging with potential signings. "Convincing, I don't know if it's the word," he said. "But obviously explaining what we are, what we are doing, how we expect a player to fit in within our club and our way of playing, his role in the team. That's certainly the case."
Arteta also noted that top players rarely make decisions in isolation. "Those players, normally, they don't come by themselves. They come with a team, whether it's a family, with people that work with them. So I think that whole ecosystem of the player has to be understood," he explained, adding that everyone within that circle must feel convinced a move to Arsenal is the right step.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.