Atletico Madrid ‘willing to sell Julian Alvarez to Arsenal but wantaway striker holding out on Barcelona transfer’

ATLETICO MADRID are willing to sell Julian Alvarez to Arsenal, according to reports. But the Argentine forward is not interested in moving to the Emirates. Julian Alvarez has been in pre-season training with Atletico Credit: Getty Alvarez, 26, wants to leave Atletico for Barcelona Credit: EPA Alvarez’s Atletico future has come under the microscope this summer amid major interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona. And Arsenal are also thought to be keen. Sign up for the Arsenal newsletter Thank you! Dream Team is back, free, and there’s £100,000 up for grabs! According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, the ex-Manchester City star, 26, only wants Barcelona. Atletico have been desperate to keep their star man around this summer. But club chiefs are now said to have accepted that his situation has become “untenable” in the Spanish capital. And it’s claimed that Atletico bosses WOULD sanction a sensational move to Arsenal. Although at this stage, Alvarez is set to hold out for his preferred destination instead. Atletico recognise that it will be difficult to find an adequate replacement for Alvarez should they let him go, with under a fortnight remaining in the transfer window. Most read in Football BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Arsenal could potentially allow Viktor Gyokeres to move to Wanda Metropolitano, with boss Diego Simeone reportedly willing to take the Swede. The Gunners are claimed to have offered Gyokeres around to other clubs this summer, just one year on from his £63.5million move from Sporting CP. Among the teams said to have been offered the striker’s services are Barcelona. Gyokeres, who made a 15-minute cameo as a substitute in last weekend’s Community Shield, scored 14 Premier League goals during his maiden Arsenal campaign. The Gunners are keen to land a statement attacking signing this summer. Earlier this summer they missed out on Vinicius Jr, who instead opted to pen a new contract with Real Madrid. Viktor Gyokeres’ Arsenal future could be in doubt Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Last month, Mikel Arteta, admitted that he is desperate for statement signings. The Spaniard, 44, said: “We all know about the context of this transfer window. “From ownership to the board, the sporting director and myself, we know that we want to take this club to a different level. “That is going to require a better squad, better individuals. “We have identified where we have opportunities to grow and to improve and to evolve our game and what is going to be needed to achieve that. “Hopefully very soon we can start to put things in a very concrete way.” Arsenal are set to kick off the new Prem campaign by hosting Gyokeres’ former side Coventry at the Emirates. Alvarez, meanwhile, did not feature as Atletico beat LaLiga new boys Malaga on Wednesday evening. Comment now