Julian Alvarez appears likely to remain at Atletico Madrid, with reports suggesting Arsenal's pursuit of the Argentine striker is unlikely to materialize before the transfer deadline closes on Tuesday.
According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, speaking to TNT Sports, Atletico Madrid would be open to negotiating a transfer with Arsenal, but the London club's ambitions hinge on Alvarez himself wanting to make the move. That desire, Ornstein indicated, simply is not there at present.
"At the time of reporting, there is a low chance that Julian Alvarez comes to Arsenal," Ornstein said. "Atletico Madrid would do a deal with Arsenal. Arsenal are prepared to reach a club-to-club agreement, but they would want the player to want to join them."
Ornstein went on to explain that Alvarez has already communicated his stance directly to Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. "Alvarez has shown no indication of wanting to join at this point. He's spoken to Mikel Arteta and said that he doesn't want to come," he added, while leaving the door open to a change of heart before the window shuts. "That could change, these situations are always movable, so I don't want to say it won't happen, but right now, it's not developing."
The update comes amid a separate flurry of transfer activity involving Atletico Madrid's forward line. Fabrizio Romano has reported that the Spanish club has reached an agreement with Juventus over a move for Jonathan David, the Canadian international. The deal is understood to be structured as a loan with an option to buy at the conclusion of the season, giving Atletico flexibility over a permanent commitment.
However, Spanish outlet Marca has pushed back against the idea that David's arrival signals any departure for Alvarez. Instead, the report frames David as a complementary addition designed to strengthen an attacking unit that already features Alvarez alongside Norwegian forward Alexander Sorloth. Marca stated that, barring any unexpected late developments, Alvarez is expected to remain an Atletico Madrid player once the transfer deadline passes on Tuesday.
The picture painted by these reports suggests Diego Simeone's side is looking to bolster its attacking options rather than restructure them around a major departure. Adding David to a group that already includes Alvarez and Sorloth would give Atletico considerable depth and versatility up front as they continue to compete on multiple fronts this season.
Meanwhile, there has been a fitness update on Alvarez himself. Atletico Madrid sporting director Matheu Alemany addressed the striker's condition, confirming he had returned to training. "He trained yesterday, and we hope he recovers quickly and is ready for the upcoming La Liga match," Alemany said, suggesting the club is targeting his imminent return to action in domestic competition.
For Arsenal, the situation leaves Arteta's side searching for alternatives as the deadline approaches, having seemingly hit a wall in personal terms with Alvarez even though a club-level agreement with Atletico might have been possible. Whether the Gunners pivot toward other targets before the window closes remains to be seen, but as things stand, Alvarez's future looks set to remain in Madrid.
Based on reporting from standard-football.