Fresh Julian Alvarez transfer twist gives Arsenal, Barcelona hope over stunning January swoop

Arsenal and Barcelona could be about to be given fresh hope in their efforts to sign Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid, following a fresh report that has emerged from Spain.

The reigning Premier League and LaLiga champions were the two protagonists in the chase for Alvarez over the summer, with the former bidding €100m / £86m and the latter making it clear to Atleti they would have been prepared to pay £128m.

Alvarez was desperate to quit the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, although he made it very clear he only wanted to join Barcelona, while Atletico were only willing to sell to Arsenal.

But with Alvarez personally informing Mikel Arteta he didn’t want to join the Gunners, the end result saw the striker forced to remain in Madrid.

However, The Athletic’s Barcelona expert, Pol Ballus, has since revealed that wouldn’t at all be surprised to see Barcelona make another attempt to sign Alvarez in January, while TEAMtalk insider Graeme Bailey has also revealed the lengths Arsenal were and still are willing to go to to change Alvarez’s mind.

And now a report from Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo states that Alvarez is seriously considering changing agents after the chaotic summer surrounding his future.

Atletico were not happy with how the whole saga played out, blaming the player’s representatives, and Mundo now claims that Alvarez could part ways with his agent.

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Alvarez agent switch hints at new exit plan

Alvarez may be sending a strong hint that by ending his association with agent Fernando Hidalgo, he is actively searching for a representative who might be better-placed to get him the move he wants, with former Argentina playmaker Javier Pastore tipped to be that man.

There’s also another school of thought, however, that if Atletico were also unhappy with Hidalgo, then perhaps Alvarez is acting on their advice and prepared to be represented by someone who won’t rock the boat as much.

However, given Alvarez’s clear desire to leave Atletico over the summer, him still pushing for an exit in the new year by changing agents does look far more feasible.

Despite their strong start to the new season, with the Gunners sitting top of the Premier League table with four wins from four games, it’s still reported that Arteta wants an elite striker through the door.

Alvarez is not the only forward on Arsenal’s radar, however, with Arteta also known to be a big admirer of Bournemouth star Eli Junior Kroupi.

At this stage, the Gunners may have more chance of landing Kroupi, with the Cherries showing over the years that they are willing to sell their best players for the right price.

The 20-year-old is also six years younger than Alvarez, so would represent more of a long-term investment than the Atletico star.

Alternatively, the Gunners could just decide to stick with Germany star Kai Havertz, who has started the new season in outstanding form, scoring three goals in his six outings in all competitions.

Either way, it could spell bad news for another Arsenal star, Viktor Gyokeres, with a decision reached on a January exit for the Sweden international.