Alvarez on the radar of Barcelona, ??Arsenal and Chelsea

Whether Atletico Madrid are open to selling him or not, the speculation surrounding Julian Alvarez’s future continues. The Argentine forward is a central figure in Atletico’s plans for the coming years, despite his poor form this season, but several European giants are keeping a close eye on him.

Barcelona’s interest in Alvarez has long been known and, should the Catalans have the financial means to land a striker, Alvarez is reportedly their priority – although that remains a big question mark. Amidst the ongoing links, president Enrique Cerezo has insisted he is not for sale. Following fresh speculation surrounding Alvarez, it was revealed this week that Chelsea would consider a move for him if he were available in the summer.

Now, according to David Ornstein on Sky Sports News, Arsenal have also been revealed as another club interested in the World Cup winner. He explains that Alvarez was considered an option before the Gunners signed Viktor Gyokeres last summer. If there are any departures in Arsenal’s attacking department next summer, then the London club will be looking for another striker and Alvarez could be one of the possible options.

Alvarez himself has been quick to state that he is happy at the Metropolitano, but the amount of speculation about his future is certainly coming from somewhere, and that is a concern for Los Rojiblancos. In the summer, his agent did little to quell rumours of a move to Barcelona. There have even been suggestions that Atletico could negotiate a new contract for Alvarez this season, despite his current deal running until 2030.

The situation is not helped by the fact that Alvarez has not scored in La Liga since November, a run of nine games without a goal. He has found the net in the Copa del Rey and Champions League so far, but his form this season has been disappointing.