Julian Alvarez has not attended Atletico Madrid coaching since being instructed privately the membership wouldn’t promote him to Barcelona and it seems the striker’s solely means out is with a transfer to Arsenal.
Sources instructed BBC Sport that Atletico communicated privately to Alvarez and his advisors earlier this week that they won’t negotiate with the Catalan membership over a transfer for the Argentina worldwide.
The 26-year-old has since missed two consecutive days of coaching citing sickness.
The La Liga membership additionally launched two public statements within the area of 24 hours reiterating their stance that Alvarez won’t be granted his want to be a part of Barca within the coming days.
Atletico, nevertheless, are open to promoting Alvarez to Arsenal and have held direct talks with the Premier League champions over what can be one of many largest transfers of the summer time.
Atleti director Mateu Alemany was in London final week, the place he’s understood to have met with Arsenal counterparts – and made clear his facet would search a charge of 150m Euros (£128m).
Mikel Arteta is determined to signal Alvarez this month however his steadfast need to affix Barcelona has seen Arsenal‘s pursuit halted.
Nonetheless, it’s understood discussions between Atletico and Arsenal over a club-to-club settlement for Alvarez have been optimistic.
Certainly, within the occasion of Alvarez giving Arsenal the inexperienced mild to proceed along with his signing within the coming days, a deal ought to transfer rapidly.
On Wednesday, in response to feedback from Barcelona president Joan Laporte during which he insisted they nonetheless needed to signal Alvarez, Atletico launched an announcement that learn: “There’s 0% likelihood of promoting him to Barca.”
The Atleico board doubled down on their stance on Thursday, releasing their very own assertion that learn: “The members of Atletico de Madrid’s board of administrators have unanimously expressed their absolute assist for the membership’s resolution to not negotiate the switch of Julian Alvarez to FC Barcelona.”
