Arsenal have sent a fresh message to Julian Alvarez, saying they are willing to wait until the closing days of the transfer window to finalise a deal for the Atletico Madrid attacker.
The Gunners began their Premier League title defence in impressive style on Friday night, decisively defeating Coventry City 3-0.
Mikel Arteta has already invested over £150 million this summer, strengthening his squad with the signings of Christos Tzolis, Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa.
Greek international winger, Tzolis made an immediate impact on Friday night, delivering a thrilling performance that drew comparisons with Leandro Trossard, the player he replaced.
Despite having numerous options at his disposal, Arteta is still eager to secure a well-known striker before the summer transfer window closes.
The Gunners have previously seen attempts to sign Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior fall through in recent months.
Meanwhile, Juventus remain resolute that Kenan Yildiz will stay at the club, while interest in Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi will have to be postponed until January due to the forward’s injury sustained during pre-season training.
The likelihood of Alvarez leaving Atletico had seemed slim throughout the summer until recently.
Discussions took place between the two clubs on Friday to explore the feasibility of a deal, but Alvarez still prefers to join Barcelona.
Atletico, however, have insisted that they will not permit Alvarez to make his desired move to their Spanish rivals. They would, however, consider allowing him to return to England if a suitable offer is presented.
Alvarez is included in Atletico’s matchday squad for Sunday’s game against Villarreal, having missed Wednesday’s victory over Malaga.
With a move to Barcelona out of the question, according to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have requested to be informed should the former Manchester City attacker have a late change of heart and become open to a return to England.
Alvarez, meanwhile, has faced abuse from Atletico supporters, with a section of fans chanting against him during the 2-0 home win over Malaga on Wednesday. Signs reading ‘Julian OUT’ were also seen outside the club’s training ground on Friday.