Barcelona and Atlético war hands Arsenal hope in Álvarez deal

Arsenal are watching the escalating dispute between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona over the Catalan club's attempt to sign Julian Alvarez, hoping the crisis pushes the Argentine striker towards accepting the English club's offer.

The Gunners believe the row could hand them an opening to convince the player, and they are ready to put an attractive proposal on the table.

According to the Spanish newspaper "Sport", Arsenal remain committed to signing Julian Alvarez despite the enormous financial cost.

The transfer could reach 150 million euros. But the main obstacle will not be the agreement between the two clubs. It will be convincing the player to return to England.

Alvarez is very happy in Spain, where he has become a father and his family lives in a very comfortable environment. He also has no wish to return to a country he knows well from his previous experience with Manchester City.

Two factors underpin Arsenal's pitch to the Argentine: the sporting project and the economic power.

The sporting project

Arsenal have proved to Alvarez their ability to compete for every possible title, having recently been crowned Premier League champions and reached the Champions League final. Mikel Arteta has built a project that appeals to any player, a cohesive team that plays enjoyable football.

Alvarez feels more comfortable with this style than with what he offers at Atletico Madrid, where in many matches he is forced to carry out primarily defensive duties, and when he begins the attack with the ball he is very far from the opponent's goal.

His level points to a better return with a team that attacks like Arteta's side.

The financial offer

Economically, Arsenal are offering a contract in line with the wages of the best-paid players in Europe. If Alvarez gives up his dream of moving to Barcelona, it must be in return for a very high salary.

His financial demands will be much higher should he return to England compared to remaining in the Spanish league.

The deal remains extremely complicated whatever happens, but the player may find no other option than to accept the English offer.

Miguel Angel Gil Marin, the general manager of Atletico Madrid, launched a strong attack on Barcelona in his recent statements, speaking of the Catalan club's "falseness", before Rafael Yuste, the vice-president of Barcelona, hit back to insist the Madrid club "crossed the red line".

The conflict continues

The tension between the two clubs is clear. Atletico Madrid believe Barcelona did not act in good faith, moving behind their back to contact Alvarez, while the Catalan club insist they dealt with transparency from the start, having submitted an offer worth 100 million euros that still stands.

Barcelona have not, as president Joan Laporta confirmed, definitively closed the Alvarez file, despite the deal becoming increasingly difficult in the face of Atletico Madrid's refusal to budge.

Alvarez is Barcelona's only option up front, after they ruled out the other alternatives that had been on the table, chief among them Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are monitoring developments with time still on their side. The transfer market does not close until midnight on 1 September.

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