UMVA has learned that Arsenal are preparing to make a bold move to sign Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez, but the Argentine star has no intention of joining the Gunners.
Despite being the only realistic option on the table, Alvarez is holding out for a move to Barcelona, who have made him one of their top targets. The Catalan giants' opening bid of €100 million has been rejected by Atletico Madrid, leaving Alvarez's future uncertain.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Arsenal are planning to begin talks with Atletico Madrid in a bid to secure Alvarez's signature. However, the 26-year-old is not considering a move to the Premier League champions, and Atletico are confident that he will stay at the club.
Atletico are already planning for next season with Alvarez as part of Diego Simeone's squad, and are instead focusing on strengthening their team with new signings. One target is Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella, who is available for a fee of €70m.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Atletico are also in the running to sign Bernardo Silva, who has left Manchester City. However, the Portugal international's preference is to join Barcelona, adding another layer of complexity to the transfer saga.
As Alvarez prepares for Argentina's World Cup campaign, which begins against Algeria on June 17, his future remains a hot topic of discussion. With Atletico refusing to negotiate with Barcelona, Alvarez's situation is 'absolutely at a standstill'.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that Alvarez joined Atletico in an £81.5 million deal from Manchester City two years ago, and the club are now keen to keep him as part of their squad. But with Barcelona still in the picture, the transfer drama is far from over.
