Barcelona Edge Out Arsenal in Race for Alvarez After Marathon Talks

Arsenal's bid to land Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez faces a significant setback, as Barcelona accelerate their efforts to secure the 26-year-old's signature.

Despite bringing in Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP last summer, Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta remain keen on adding Alvarez to their Emirates arsenal. The former Manchester City man won the Premier League and Champions League during his time at the Etihad, credentials that appealed to Arsenal's recruitment team.

However, Barcelona have seized the initiative. Sporting director Deco met with Alvarez's agent Fernando Hidalgo for over four hours on Wednesday afternoon at a Barcelona hotel—a session that appears to have borne fruit for the Catalan giants. The club are now preparing a €90million (£78m) offer for the Argentina international.

According to reports, Barcelona used the meeting to make abundantly clear their ambitions for Alvarez, while emphasizing the need for the player to demonstrate his commitment despite interest from other major European outfits. The message appears to have landed: Alvarez has reportedly signalled his desire to wear Barcelona colours, with personal terms between club and player now described as advanced.

Journalist Carlos Monfort reported that Barcelona plan to submit a formal bid within hours, with negotiations moving at pace following Wednesday's productive talks. Fellow reporter Ben Jacobs confirmed that Alvarez has made his preference clear, stating he wants Barcelona if both clubs can agree on a fee. Atletico Madrid are understood to be demanding a sum exceeding what Barcelona paid for Antoine Griezmann back in 2019.

Alvarez transferred to Atletico from Manchester City in 2024 and remains contracted to the Spanish side until summer 2030. The striker has contributed 49 goals and 17 assists across 106 appearances in all competitions for his current club.