Julian Alvarez to Arsenal: Club ‘ready to break bank’ to agree deal
Atletico Madrid are prepared to “break the bank” by offering Julian Alvarez improved contract terms amid continued interest in his services from PSG, Arsenal and Chelsea.
Alvarez has been heavily linked with leaving the Spanish giants this summer, with no shortage of suitors across Europe if he pushes to depart.
Atletico are set to stand firm in their desire to retain his services, though, and want him to agree a new big-money deal to dissuade those interested clubs.
He has been a regular starter for Diego Simeone’s side since joining from Man City in 2024, with 13 goals and seven assists in 38 appearances so far this season.
Alvarez is understood to prefer a move to Barcelona over a Premier League return if he does leave Atleti, but as I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Transfer Insider podcast, the Spanish giants do not plan to let him leave anytime soon.
Atletico want Julian Alvarez to pen fresh terms amid Arsenal and Chelsea links
Alvarez’s current contract at Atletico runs until 2030, but the club want him to sign new terms that would match his wage demands and match the kind of money that the likes of PSG, Arsenal and Chelsea can offer.
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: “PSG have shown a bit of interest (in Alvarez) and there’s been links with Arsenal and Chelsea as well, but I think really Atletico Madrid will do everything they can to try and prevent his departure.
“They are in talks over a new contract, even though he is under contract until 2030, so they’re willing to break the bank to try and persuade him to stay.
“A return to the Premier League is unlikely, but the situation is that if he is to leave Atletico Madrid, they’re gonna demand big money for him.
“(There are) only a handful of clubs in Europe who could afford that, and that would include some of the Premier League big boys.”
Arsenal have no plans to let Eberechi Eze leave this summer
Arsenal similarly want to keep Eze at their club this summer, but for different reasons, as he struggles to find form in his debut season at the Emirates Stadium.
Eze joined the Gunners from Crystal Palace last August, but has registered just five goals and assists each in 34 appearances for the club so far, with 13 league starts to his name.
Despite his lack of impact, sources have told Football Insider that Arsenal will not entertain the idea of letting Eze leave under any circumstances this summer.
Mikel Arteta sees him as a vital part of his plans for the years to come, and so the England playmaker could well be a teammate of Alvarez’s next term if the Gunners can prise him away from the Spanish capital.