Arsenal are making a serious push to sign Argentina forward Julian Álvarez from Atlético Madrid before pre-season begins, according to a report by Miguel Delaney in The Independent.

The Premier League champions ended a 22-year wait for the title last season, but manager Mikel Arteta is determined to strengthen his attacking options as the club targets back-to-back titles. The striker position remains unsettled, with Viktor Gyokeres struggling in his debut season at the Emirates — and ultimately dropped for the UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain in favour of Kai Havertz, who himself battled injuries throughout the campaign.

A long-standing target

Álvarez has been Arteta's preferred attacking target for some time, though the complexity of a deal has led Arsenal to consider alternatives, including Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola. Interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid — the latter of whom had a bid of €150 million rejected — now appears to have cooled, which has given Arsenal renewed confidence that a move could be possible.

However, a significant financial gap remains between the two clubs. Arsenal have reportedly set a ceiling of £90 million for the deal, while Atlético Madrid are said to be unwilling to sell for anything below £100 million — and have shown little appetite to sell at all. Whether either party will compromise remains to be seen.

World Cup heroics add to his appeal

Álvarez is currently representing Argentina at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States. He broke his tournament duck with a spectacular goal against Switzerland in the quarter-finals, a strike widely credited with sending La Albiceleste into the semi-finals for the second consecutive World Cup. He is next due to face England in the semi-final on Wednesday, 15 July.

According to Transfermarkt, Álvarez is currently valued at €100 million. The report also suggests Arsenal believe they can secure a deal for Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers alongside Álvarez — a double signing that would represent a formidable statement of ambition ahead of the new season.