Julian Alvarez makes final decision on joining Arsenal as Mikel Arteta calls striker again

Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez has made his final decision on whether to join Arsenal this summer, according to reports.

The Gunners have brought in Illan Meslier (free, Leeds), Christos Tzolis (£34.12m, Club Brugge) and Bruno Guimaraes (£75m, Newcastle) have all joined so far this summer, while Arsenal made Piero Hincapie’s loan move from Bayer Leverkusen into a permanent transfer for £34.5m.

Tzolis came in to replace Leandro Trossard, who left for Besiktas earlier in the summer, and Arsenal are still looking for a left-sided or versatile attacker before the window shuts.

Arsenal had been heavily linked with a move for Aston Villa attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers but they weren’t willing to pay the £117m that Chelsea forked out for the England international.

The Gunners also saw another target, Vinicius Junior, sign a new contract at Real Madrid and Ben Jacobs recently revealed who they could sign instead.

Jacobs said: “Arsenal are now still going to add some form of either left-sided or versatile attacker.

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“Not all the profiles are identical to Vinicius Junior, but Julian Alvarez is one possibility if Atleti decide to sell.

“We know they’d prefer to keep. Barcelona would love Julian Alvarez as well but Atleti may prefer, if they realise the player wants to leave, to sell outside of La Liga. So he’s a dream target.”

Jacobs continued: “Iliman Ndiaye has been discussed as well and there’ll be other options too. Some will say Bradley Barcola.”

On Barcola, Jacobs added: “If Arsenal want Bradley Barcola their tactic has to be to gazump Liverpool, because the player wants Liverpool.

“But PSG want €170million – so Arsenal would have to overpay and hope that Liverpool back off. But he’s a possibility too.

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“So Arsenal are still going to be busy between now and the end of the window.”

Arteta calls Alvarez as Arsenal make ‘final push’

And now El Desmarque has revealed that Arsenal ‘are making a final push before the transfer window closes to sign’ Alvarez from Atletico Madrid with Mikel Arteta ‘calling’ the Argentina international again.

The report adds: ‘According to ElDesmarque, Mikel Arteta contacted Álvarez to express his desire for him to join Arsenal for the 2026/27 season. In recent days, the English manager called him again to try and convince him to sign for the London club. However, the Argentine made his position at Atlético Madrid clear, and also told Arteta that, if he were to leave, his priority would be to join Barcelona this summer.’

Alvarez ‘rejects a return to the Premier League, prioritising wearing the Barcelona jersey’ with Arsenal set to activate ‘Plan B’ by pursuing a deal for Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen.

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