![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-2290736183-e663.jpg\")
\n\t\tArteta personally reached out to the Atletico star to discuss the move (Picture: Carl Recine\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tArteta personally reached out to the Atletico star to discuss the move (Picture: Carl Recine\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Atletico Madrid<\/a> have agreed to sell Julian Alvarez<\/a> to Arsenal<\/a> before the summer transfer window closes \u2013 but the striker is still determined to sign for Barcelona instead.<\/p>\n The Argentina international has been regarded as a dream signing at the Emirates with Mikel Arteta said to have personally reached out to the 26-year-old<\/a> to try and convince him to return to the Premier League<\/a>.<\/p>\n But the former Manchester City<\/a> star prefers a move to Barcelona, revealing his hopes of making his move to the Camp Nou during the World Cup<\/a>.<\/p>\n Barcelona have repeatedly angered Atletico with their pursuit of the striker, however, with Diego Simeone\u2019s side determined not to do business with them having already rejected an opening bid of \u20ac100million (\u00a386.4m)<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tExclusive Premier League previews\t\t\t<\/p>\n Get ahead of the start of the season with our weekly football newsletter.\u00a0Sign up now<\/a> for free.<\/p>\n Atletico do not want to business with Barcelona this summer and want to keep Alvarez at all costs.But reports have claimed Atletico would demand up to \u20ac150million (\u00a3130m) if forced to let him go<\/a>.<\/p>\n With Atletico\u2019s La Liga campaign to begin on Sunday against Villarreal, Mundo Deportivo<\/a> report the situation has now reached an \u2018untenable\u2019 stage.<\/p>\n With Alvarez still determined to leave, the club\u2019s management has agreed to enter transfer negotiations but on one condition; only with Arsenal and not Barcelona.<\/p>\n \t\t As it stands however, Alvarez\u2019s position has not changed and remains determined to move to the Camp Nou.<\/p>\n With just over a week of the summer transfer window remaining, Atletico would also find themselves in the difficult position of having to find a replacement for Alvarez.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tAsk Metro<\/p>\n Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about \u2013 powered by Metro and trusted publications.<\/p>\n Reports in Spain have suggested Arsenal would be willing to include their striker Victor Gyokeres plus for \u20ac60m (\u00a351.7m)<\/a> to solve that problem.<\/p>\n \t\t Meanwhile, Atletico boss Diego Simeone has publicly reiterated Atletico\u2019s firm stance leading into the new season.<\/p>\n \u2018The situation is very clear, the club made a decision that Miguel Angel [Gil Marin] explained very well,\u2019 Simeone said last week.<\/p>\n \u2018From the sporting side, we are very happy to have a player like Julian, and from a sporting perspective we will help him to continue growing, to continue improving, and to give us back what he has given us over these two years, which was a great deal.<\/p>\n \u2018We have some precedents, we already saw what happened with Griezmann, I don\u2019t see any other way than to work from a sporting perspective as we have to and try to help as we have done these past two years.\u2019<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"MADRID,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/SEI_288819136-89ae.jpg\")
\n\t\tAlvarez valued at \u00a3130m (Picture: Europa Press via Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Arsenal](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-2274588930_931e95.jpg\")
\n\t\tAlvarez is still desperate to join Barcelona (Picture: Vince Mignott\/DeFodi Images\/DeFodi via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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