Arsenal is considering a summer transfer for Atlético Madrid’s Julián Álvarez, according to sources close to the situation. The Gunners’ sporting director, Andrea Berta, has established ties with the LaLiga team, having spent 12 years there before his move to North London last March.
Berta was instrumental in facilitating Álvarez’s €95 million ($82.4 million) move from Manchester City in August 2024, and it appears he maintains a strong relationship with the player’s agent, Fernando Hidalgo, as well as with the player’s team.
Barcelona is also interested in Álvarez, but their ongoing financial struggles could hinder any significant transfer deal.
It’s believed that Álvarez has a staggering €500 million release clause in his contract; however, reports indicate that Atlético would seek over €100 million if they are open to selling this summer.
Since joining Atlético, Álvarez has netted 40 goals in 85 appearances and is under contract until 2030.
The specifics of Arsenal’s inquiries remain vague, but there are indications that club officials have made informal overtures to assess the feasibility of a transfer before potentially formalizing their interest later this year.
Arsenal had previously evaluated Álvarez among several forward options— including Benjamin Sesko, who recently transferred to Manchester United from Red Bull Leipzig—before ultimately securing Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting Lisbon last summer.
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Gyökeres has had a mixed initial season with Arsenal, recently scoring his ninth goal during a Champions League win against Inter Milan, but he has not yet matched the scoring rate he achieved during his two seasons with Sporting in Portugal.
He has made 27 appearances so far. Gabriel Jesus scored twice against Inter and has expressed his desire to extend his stay beyond his current contract, which ends in 2027. However, he also mentioned that no discussions about an extension have occurred, and there are suggestions that Arsenal might entertain offers for the Brazilian forward at the end of the season.
Arsenal is expecting to have Kai Havertz back in full fitness soon as they continue to compete on multiple fronts. Midfielder Mikel Merino has stepped in as an emergency striker when all three of the club’s forward options have been unavailable.