Arsenal are weighing up a potential summer approach for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez.
According to ESPN, the Gunners have conducted exploratory checks into Alvarez’s situation.
Sporting director Andrea Berta spent over a decade at Atletico Madrid before joining Arsenal and is expected to leverage his connections.
Berta was the key figure behind Alvarez’s €95 million move from Manchester City.
He is also understood to maintain a close working relationship with the Argentine international’s representatives.
Alvarez has made an immediate impact in Spain, scoring 40 goals in 85 appearances across all competitions since joining Diego Simeone’s side.
Atletico are reluctant to sell and point to the forward’s €500 million release clause, though ESPN’s Spanish sources believe any realistic negotiation would start north of €100m.
Barcelona are admirers, but their ongoing financial constraints make any deal significantly more complicated.
Arsenal’s interest is believed to be informal at this stage, with officials sounding out the conditions of a possible move before deciding whether to pursue it aggressively later in the year.
Alvarez was among several elite forwards monitored by Arsenal before they committed to signing Viktor Gyokeres, following Benjamin Sesko’s switch to Manchester United.
However, a move for Alvarez currently looks improbable.
Arsenal only just invested heavily in Gyokeres and are committed to helping him settle, even after a mixed opening spell in which he has scored nine goals in 27 appearances.
Adding another marquee striker would significantly congest Arteta’s squad.
Arsenal would need to offload both Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz to accommodate Alvarez.
Jesus has publicly stated his desire to stay but faces an uncertain contract situation, while Havertz is set to return fully fit.
Without major sales, the numbers and the logic do not stack up.
