Arsenal could be handed a timely boost in their pursuit of Julian Alvarez, with Atletico Madrid reportedly opening talks to sign Juventus forward Jonathan David as a potential replacement should the Argentine force through a departure before the transfer window slams shut.
Alvarez has spent much of the summer attempting to engineer an exit from the Spanish capital, with Barcelona understood to be his preferred destination. However, those efforts have so far failed to yield results. The striker publicly aired his desire to leave during an interview at the World Cup, and has since skipped multiple training sessions, citing illness on occasion. Despite the friction, Atletico have remained firm in their stance that they will not sanction a sale to a domestic rival like Barcelona.
Alvarez has returned to training with the squad, but he was notably absent from the matchday group for Saturday's league trip to Sevilla, a sign that his future at the club remains unresolved.
With Barcelona effectively ruled out as an option, Arsenal have emerged as the most realistic destination for the forward, even though there is a belief within the game that Alvarez is reluctant to make a return to the Premier League. It is also unclear at this stage whether the Gunners will actually table a formal bid before the deadline.
Regardless of how the Alvarez situation unfolds, Atletico appear to be preparing for the possibility of losing their star striker. According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Spanish club have lodged a formal offer to sign Jonathan David on loan from Juventus, with an option to make the move permanent further down the line. The two clubs are said to be in active negotiations over the deal.
The Canadian international is reportedly open to the switch, though Juventus are keen to bring in a replacement forward of their own before allowing David to depart on loan. The Italian giants signed David from Lille only last summer, and he went on to score six goals in 36 Serie A appearances during his debut campaign in Turin.
Atletico's move for David suggests the club are hedging their bets, either preparing for life without Alvarez entirely or anticipating that he will play a reduced role in Diego Simeone's plans this season even if he stays put. Either scenario would represent a significant shift in the club's attacking setup, given how central Alvarez has been to their forward line since arriving from Manchester City.
Time, however, is running short for all parties involved. The summer transfer window is due to close on Tuesday night, leaving Arsenal a narrow window to make a concrete move for Alvarez if they wish to capitalize on the uncertainty surrounding his Atletico future. Should the Gunners fail to act, Alvarez may simply be forced to stay in Madrid for at least another season, regardless of his personal wishes.
For Atletico, the priority now appears to be smoothing over the situation with a swift solution up front, whether that means keeping hold of Alvarez under a cloud of tension or successfully offloading him and bringing in David as a ready-made alternative. The coming 48 hours are likely to prove decisive in determining how this transfer saga ultimately resolves itself.
Based on reporting from Standard Football (London Standard).