Arsenal eager to win race for Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez

Arsenal are keen on fresh faces in the striker area of the squad, and eager to win the race for the signature of Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez this summer.

Arsenal’s pursuit of the Argentine striker may not come easily, as they face a transfer race complicated by rival interest from Liverpool, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich. At the same time, the search for a new forward intensifies across Europe.

Alvarez completed a staggering £81.5m move to Atletico Madrid on a six-year deal from Manchester City last summer.

The World Cup winner will go on to enjoy an impressive debut campaign in the Spanish capital, scoring 29 goals in 54 appearances across all competitions and also contributing seven assists in the process.

The 25-year-old’s sensational form for Atletico has attracted a number of top clubs, including Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Liverpool, and Arsenal, with Marca reporting that the Gunners are leading the race for the striker.

Atletico Madrid’s Argentine forward Julian Alvarez (L) celebrates after scoring against Real Madrid in La Liga (Image byThomas COEX / AFP)

Mikel Arteta has been vocal about missing out on the Premier League, citing some of their problems as coming from upfront, and is on a mission to make significant changes to his squad, particularly to strengthen the attacking area.

Recent reports have seriously linked Arsenal with moves for Sporting CP sensation Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

The Gunners had been struggling for firepower upfront throughout the just-ended Premier League campaign, with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus failing to deliver amid their injury woes.

According to Marca, the Argentine international is settled in the Spanish capital and does not have any intentions of returning to the Premier League this summer.

If this view is anything to go by, then Arsenal may struggle to make any progress in their pursuit of Avarez – at least, not this summer transfer window.

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone will also want to hold on to Atletico’s best player from the 2024-25 campaign as the Madrid outfit aims to improve their squad with new signings and build an even stronger team around the prolific forward.