Arteta talks with Alvarez revealed after late transfer window push by Arsenal

Arteta talks with Alvarez revealed after late Arsenal transfer push Make us your Google favourite Mikel Arteta is understood to have had a personal phone call with Julian Alvarez late in the transfer window before eventually opting against bringing the Atletico Madrid star to Arsenal . Alvarez had been one of Arsenal’s biggest targets for the summer but, despite high-level discussions at the club over a deal, the Gunners never felt convinced that the 26-year-old was seriously open to moving back to England. That is according to insider sources , who have detailed the saga of Alvarez’s summer in which the Argentine international eventually remained with Atletico despite a bitter public feud that saw him push to join Barcelona . Atletico repeatedly expressed that they would not consider selling Alvarez to their rivals after Barca’s multiple attempts to unsettle the forward, and instead would only consider his departure to another club. That situation gave Arsenal hope that they could convince Alvarez of a move, despite reports that the player had initially rejected call from Arteta , with a conversation said to have taken place between the pair in the final days of the window. Ultimately, Alvarez’s desire to join Barca led to Arsenal opting against making a formal offer, with Arteta unwilling to go ‘above and beyond’ to convince any signings to join the club, instead preferring players who see moving to the Gunners as a priority. Atletico hoping to move past Alvarez saga after failed Arsenal and Man City talks Alvarez’s former club Manchester City also mulled a late move for him but they did not receive encouragement over a move, with the player’s family reluctant to return to England, having pushed to leave for Spain in 2024. Alvarez is now set to be reintegrated back into Diego Simeone’s team, having been booed by Atletico fans after coming off the bench against Villarreal last month, which led to Arsenal believing they may be able to offer the player a route out of Madrid. Atletico have not formally punished Alvarez despite the player making an unsolicited interview during the 2026 World Cup in which he called on the club to allow him to achieve his dream of joining Barca. Instead, the club have defended Alvarez, with a belief that the saga has taken a toll on his mental health and there is a belief that the relationship can be repaired between all parties, even with the saga likely to be revived next year.