Journalist Ben Jacobs suggests Arsenal could still be a contender for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, despite a complex transfer situation. Alvarez, who has impressed at Atletico and previously in the Premier League, remains a dream target for the North London club.
While Arsenal signed Viktor Gyokeres last summer, questions linger about his impact, and many fans reportedly view Alvarez as a significant upgrade. Jacobs highlighted that although Alvarez's release clause is a hefty €500 million, there are provisions for Champions League-qualified clubs to potentially secure him for a reduced fee, though even this is likely beyond most clubs' reach.
“Julian Alvarez is the dream target for Arsenal,” Jacobs stated. “His release clause is €500m, but my information is that there are provisions for certain Champions League clubs to do it cheaper, but cheaper is still probably out of the price range of all clubs.” He added that even a price around €150 million, factoring in taxes, makes triggering the clause challenging for any club.
Jacobs advised against ruling out Arsenal's interest, noting their persistence if even a slim possibility arises. “Even if it was in & around €150m under set provisions, you’ve got to pay the taxes as well – which is why nobody is really looking at triggering the release clause... Maybe Alvarez stays at Atletico, maybe Barcelona come back in, but don’t rule out Arsenal. If there’s a 1% chance of Alvarez moving to the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal will move.”
This potential high-profile signing could provide a much-needed boost for Arsenal's transfer window, which has seen limited activity with only backup goalkeeper Illan Meslier arriving and Leandro Trossard departing. Despite a successful Premier League title win last season and reaching the Champions League final, the team is always looking for ways to enhance its attacking options, especially after missing out on targets like Morgan Rogers.
