Atletico Madrid have handed Julian Alvarez a Sunday deadline to make a decision on his future — either committing to the club or opening the door to a move to Arsenal.

Alvarez has been left weighing his options after Atletico made it plain, in both public statements and private conversations, that a transfer to Barcelona will not happen. Barcelona remains the striker's preferred destination, but Atletico have been categorical in their refusal to negotiate with the Catalan club.

Confusion and uncertainty surround Alvarez

Those around the Argentina international describe him as "struggling" and "confused" — and he has yet to show any genuine willingness to consider a move to the Premier League champions.

Atletico CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín addressed the situation directly on Friday. "[Julián] is really struggling," he said. "There were people who misled him, who left him confused, and the truth is that I deeply regret it. I know him, I've been working with him for some time, and he is a great person, a great professional and an excellent footballer. He is completely confused and, at the moment, he is going through a very difficult situation, both personally and professionally."

Alvarez has not trained for three days, and Atletico boss Diego Simeone confirmed he will play no part in this weekend's match against Sevilla.

Arsenal keeping their distance

From Arsenal's perspective, the situation remains unchanged. The club believe it is unlikely Alvarez will move to north London, and until he demonstrates a concrete desire to be part of manager Mikel Arteta's project, they will not enter formal negotiations.

People close to the situation in Spain suggest that the longer Alvarez goes without offering clarity, the more probable it becomes that he stays at Atletico Madrid. The clock is ticking — and Sunday's deadline will force his hand.