Manchester United have reportedly made direct contact with the representatives of Julian Alvarez, throwing Arsenal’s pursuit of the Atletico Madrid forward into serious doubt.
The transfer saga surrounding the Argentine has intensified dramatically after he made explosive public comments about wanting to leave Atletico Madrid during World Cup duty with Argentina.
Speaking to ESPN, Alvarez said: “The best thing for me is a transfer and I want to fulfil my dream. I don’t want to hide or act like I don’t want to be clear. I try to be honest. I spoke to Atletico people and I think the best for everyone involved is for me to leave.”
Real Madrid publicly confirmed their €150million proposal for Alvarez was rejected by Atletico, while Barcelona also had a substantial bid turned down by the Spanish club.
Reports from Spain have since indicated that Diego Simeone’s side have no desire to enter negotiations with Barcelona over the 26-year-old’s future.
That development had appeared to leave Arsenal as the frontrunners for Alvarez’s signature, but Manchester United have now entered the picture in significant fashion.
According to Diario AS journalist Marcos Duran, United have held discussions with Alvarez’s agent after closely monitoring his situation over recent weeks.
Duran further states that United possess funds to invest following their securing of Champions League qualification, with Alvarez’s time at Manchester City clearly influencing their thinking.
The Argentine scored 36 goals in 103 appearances at the Etihad Stadium, though he frequently found himself operating in the shadow of Erling Haaland during his time there.
Since moving to Atletico Madrid, Alvarez has emerged as a key figure under Simeone, which explains the extraordinary level of interest now surrounding him across Europe.
Meanwhile, Arsenal appear to be shifting their focus elsewhere in the transfer market, with Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi and Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes now emerging as priority targets for the Gunners.
Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali is also attracting attention from both Arsenal and Tottenham, with the Italian reported to favour a move to Arsenal while remaining open to joining Tottenham Hotspur.
Arsenal had also been linked with West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes, though Tottenham are now considered better positioned to meet both the Hammers’ valuation and the player’s salary demands.
A deal has already been agreed for Ederson to join Michael Carrick’s United side from Atalanta, as the club continues to prioritise midfield reinforcements ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
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