Atletico Madrid have effectively ruled out selling Julian Alvarez to Barcelona, leaving Arsenal as the Argentina striker’s most realistic route out of the Spanish club before the transfer window closes.
The Spanish club have told sources cited by Marca that the possibility of Alvarez joining Barcelona is “zero”, despite the player missing training for a third successive day as he continues to hope for a move to the Catalan side.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has said his club will keep trying to sign Alvarez until the end of the window. However, Atletico’s position has hardened, with the club’s board issuing a statement backing the decision not to sell the player to Barcelona.
The dispute has increased tension between the two clubs, while Alvarez’s future in Madrid has become increasingly uncertain. During Atletico’s match against Villarreal, sections of the home support booed the forward. After the game, he went to the dressing room alone.
Atletico remain open to selling Alvarez to a foreign club for €150m, a figure that puts Arsenal in the strongest position among the potential alternatives mentioned in the report.
The Premier League club are understood to have a strong interest in the 25-year-old, who is attracted by Arsenal’s sporting project. But negotiations could be complicated by an issue away from the pitch: the immigration and visa arrangements needed for Alvarez’s family if he moves to Britain.
Alvarez currently lives in Spain with his family. Immigration rules in the United Kingdom became stricter after Brexit, and some of his relatives’ residence permits expired following an earlier period in England. That could make a move to London more difficult from a family perspective.
His wife’s circumstances appear to be different. Journalist Veronica Brunati has reported that Alvarez’s wife would be eligible to apply for residence as a dependant partner of someone holding a work visa, allowing her to live legally with him in the UK.
Arsenal are confident they can resolve the visa situation affecting Alvarez’s family if the player agrees to join them at Emirates Stadium. The club have not yet submitted a decisive formal offer to Atletico Madrid, but believe an agreement could still be reached before the transfer window closes on 1 September.
For now, Alvarez’s preferred destination remains Barcelona, with Laporta publicly committed to continuing the pursuit. Atletico, however, have made clear that they do not intend to facilitate a move to the Spanish club, leaving Arsenal waiting to see whether the player’s options narrow further during the final five days of the market.
