UCL: Arsenal's pursuit of Alvarez 'no surprise given his exceptional talent

Diego Simeone, the head coach of Atletico Madrid, has acknowledged that Arsenal are among the clubs interested in acquiring the services of Julian Alvarez, with Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona also vying for his signature.

n

This revelation was made during the pre-match press conference ahead of Atletico Madrid's Champions League semi-final first leg against Arsenal, scheduled to take place at Metropolitano Stadium on Wednesday.

n

When queried about the rumors linking Alvarez to Arsenal, Simeone referred to him as an extraordinary player, implying that it is only natural for top clubs to be interested in him.

n

Simeone explicitly mentioned Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain as additional suitors, underscoring the intense competition for Alvarez's services.

n

"I'm not inside Julian Alvarez's head," Simeone stated, "It's normal that an extraordinary player like Julian Alvarez is wanted by Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, given his exceptional abilities."

n

Alvarez has amassed an impressive 48 goals in 104 appearances for Atletico Madrid since joining the club from Manchester City for £82m.

n

During his tenure at Manchester City, Alvarez won consecutive Premier League titles and was a member of the team that achieved a treble in the 2022/23 season.

n

Arsenal's sporting director, Andrea Berta, is familiar with Alvarez, having overseen his transfer from Manchester City to Atletico Madrid.

n

The significant asking price for Alvarez poses a challenge, as Atletico Madrid are reluctant to sell him and have valued him at £130m, even if he were to request a transfer.

n

Alvarez, who was part of Argentina's World Cup-winning team in 2022, has been sidelined for Atletico's last two games due to a minor injury but is expected to participate in the match against Arsenal on Wednesday.