Arsenal’s hopes of signing Julian Alvarez have suffered a major setback, with David Ornstein revealing that the Atletico Madrid striker has personally told Mikel Arteta that he does not currently want to move to the Emirates.
The Argentine has been heavily linked with the Gunners as the transfer window approaches its conclusion, but his preference has been to join Barcelona.
Atletico Madrid have closed the door on selling Alvarez to their La Liga rivals, potentially leaving Arsenal as an alternative should the 26-year-old decide he wants to leave the Spanish capital.
However, according to Ornstein, that has not yet convinced the striker to consider a move back to England.
Alvarez has spoken directly to Arteta
Speaking on TNT Sports, Ornstein explained that the chances of Alvarez joining Arsenal are currently low because the forward has had his heart set on Barcelona.
Crucially, Atletico would reportedly be prepared to do business with Arsenal, while the Gunners are also prepared to reach an agreement with the Spanish club.
The stumbling block is Alvarez himself.
Ornstein revealed:
“He’s spoken to Mikel Arteta and said he doesn’t want to come.”
“He’s spoken to Mikel Arteta and said he doesn’t want to come.” 👀@David_Ornstein with the latest on Arsenal’s pursuit of Julian Alvarez.
🎙️ @OliviaBuzaglo | 📺 Watch live on TNT Sports & HBO Max pic.twitter.com/VEYpXGynEq
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 29, 2026
That would appear to represent a significant blow to Arsenal’s hopes, particularly given Arteta’s well-known desire to recruit players who genuinely want to become part of his squad.
Indeed, when Arteta was questioned about Alvarez ahead of Monday’s game against Aston Villa, he refused to discuss another club’s player but stressed more generally the importance of feeling that a potential signing has a genuine desire to join Arsenal.
Ornstein refuses to completely rule out an Arsenal move
The interesting part of Ornstein’s update, however, is that the door has not been completely closed.
He acknowledged that Alvarez’s position could potentially change before the transfer deadline and stopped short of saying that an Arsenal move was impossible.
For now, though, he stressed that the transfer is simply not progressing in the way some reports have suggested.
That leaves Arsenal facing a fascinating final few days of the window.
The clubs themselves seemingly aren’t the problem. Atletico are willing to discuss a deal with Arsenal and the Gunners are prepared to reach an agreement.
But Arsenal understandably don’t want to make such a huge commitment to a player unless Alvarez himself is convinced that the Emirates is where he wants to be.
Could Arsenal decide not to sign an alternative?
Perhaps the other significant part of Ornstein’s update concerned what Arsenal might do if Alvarez doesn’t change his mind.
The reporter suggested that Alvarez is the target for the Gunners and raised the possibility that, if Arsenal cannot get him, they may simply continue with the attacking options already available to Arteta rather than move for somebody else.
With the transfer deadline rapidly approaching, that potentially makes Alvarez’s decision one of the biggest remaining stories of Arsenal’s summer.
There is still time for his position to soften, as Ornstein himself stressed, but as things stand the message from the player appears clear.
Arsenal may be willing to sign Julian Alvarez.
Atletico Madrid may be willing to sell him to Arsenal.
Julian Alvarez, at least for now, does not want to come.
What do you think, Gooners? Should Arsenal continue trying to convince Alvarez until the deadline, or should the club immediately move on to another attacking target? Let us know in the comments.
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Today should be D day for the highly technical Argentinan, but I suspect someone from the Catalán Giants is living in the lad ears , ust as Pep Guarrdiola did with Cesc Fabregas.
But unlike Arsenal, the Madrid base club is standing their ground
Can genuinely say I am not bothered whether he does or doesn’t come.
Personally I think LW cover is far more a priority.
Been an ok window of incommings so far, but letting Trossard AND Martinelli and only bringing in Tzolis is a poor situation.
Hopefully this will put an end to this never ending story. If true that he’s told Arteta he’s not interested, please take the hint Arteta.
We need to turn our attention to another target if there is one this late in the day. I’m seeing another late panic buy from Chelsea coming on, it’s what we do. 🤦♂️
It was coming out of Spain weeks ago, that Alvarez ONLY wanted Barca and didn’twant to come to England. He is, of course, entitled to change his mind but I think Arsenal have known for a while, not recently that it was a virtual non starter.
Puts the notion to bed that when Arsenal come calling the players will never say no .
He simply doesn’t want to play in England. It is not a matter of Arsenal calling
Will be interesting to see who we go for tomorrow.
It will. We are looking at Matias Fernadez Pardo. But so are Newcastle. Newcastle have tried to negotiate a lower fee but they had been pushed back.
He is a good player – young with a high ceiling. He would come to Arsenal over Newcastle.
Because Andrea Berta is doing a great job at the Arsenal.
Ooh.. cutting reply 😊
to give credit where it is due 🙂
I am glad Garnacho went to Villa – had he stayed at Chelsea we would have paid silly money for him like we did for Madueke….
He told Arsenal he was not interested weeks ago.
Im hoping that we have sold Martinelli on the premise that we have in replacement in the wings but I fear I am giving Berta far more credit than he deserves…
I’m glad!
That money can now be well utilized for better players.
Just disappointed that MA may have stooped a little too low to have to beg this guy to this level.
Up to now I think it’s been a solid transfer window.
We’ve made some good signings in positions that needed them.
The Window Closure is getting ever closer, but it’s not shut yet.
If we can get good quality Left Wing and Striker additions, that’d be great – let’s see how that goes.
We’re clearing the decks of players the Club feel need to be moved on – so it’s odds on they’ve got replacements in focus – it’s a matter of whether they get them in before the window closes.
If they don’t, it will give more playing time opportunities to M L S and Max Dowman and others.
There’s always the January Window to refresh the ranks again.
If the Left Wing and Striker positions aren’t covered in this window, the question is – have we got enough in the squad to get us successfully to the January Window – and only M A and A B can answer that question – and ultimately they will be the ones accountable if they get it wrong.
As Declan Rice said after the loss to Man City at the Etihad on 19th April – when everyone thought the P L Title was lost:
‘This ain’t done yet’
He was right – We’re P L Champions.
As F D R famously said:
‘We Have Nothing To Fear, But Fear Itself’.
Onwards and Upwards Gooners – Onwards and Upwards…!!!
@Chris S
“The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself “
FDR
Yeah, let’s stick out that chest and rattle off dribble.
By my reckoning and Maths is not my strong point, we have two place left for a foreign player, but if Meslier (who isn’t yet) is included in the list, then we have one place. Unless we are to sell another foreigner?
For Europe.
I count 2 left with him
unless I’m missing someone
that’s assuming Setford goes on loan to be fair as we don’t need to register 4 keepers
Mosquera is now classed as foreign, he wasn’t last year.
yeah I counted him
Told you my Maths was s#!t🤣 Now leaves room for a foreign signing or two.
hope so
Arsenal fans shouldn’t think of this as a personal decision of not wanting to come to Arsenal specifially.
He doesn’t want to move to England, with his family settled in Spain. Completely fair enough.
With that said, he should have done a bit more research about transfer possibilities before opening his mouth and putting himself into this position.