Sofia Quijada
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Arsenal are watching a familiar nightmare unfold again. The club fears Barcelona could once more stand between them and a striker target, this time Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, as the player’s choice of representation hints at where his future might lie.
Mikel Arteta still rates Alvarez among his top attacking priorities, but the forward’s decision over a new agent could tilt the balance toward the Catalan giants. That possibility is causing concern at the Emirates.
According to the newspaper Sport, Alvarez is edging closer to appointing agent Pablo Barquero, the same figure who brokered Rodri’s move to Barcelona last summer. That detail alone has unsettled figures inside Arsenal, who have spent months building a case for the Argentine only to run into the same roadblock as before: the player’s own preference for a Barcelona shirt.
Alvarez, 26, recently severed ties with Fernando Hidalgo, the agent who had managed his career since he was a teenager. The split arrived after a turbulent summer that included a failed push to leave Atletico Madrid for Barcelona.
Javier Pastore, who represents Enzo Fernandez, was initially tipped to take over Alvarez’s representation. Talks have since shifted, with Barquero now the clear favourite to land the role.
What Barquero’s Barcelona Ties Signal
Sport Witness believe Alvarez’s move to align himself with an agent who holds strong relationships at Barcelona speaks volumes about his long-term thinking. A transfer isn’t imminent on the back of this alone, but it does suggest the striker could be positioning himself for another attempt at a Camp Nou switch down the line.
For Arsenal, that’s an unwelcome complication. Arteta sees Alvarez as a near-perfect fit for his system, pointing to his movement off the ball, his finishing instincts and his pedigree at elite level. The north London club tried and failed to land him last summer, and their interest has carried through toward a potential 2027 move.
Gyokeres Form Adds Pressure
Viktor Gyokeres has only sharpened the urgency up front. The Swedish striker has struggled to hit the output Arsenal expected when they brought him in, and TEAMtalk report the club could look to cash in on him if a deal for Alvarez materializes.
Arsenal believe they have the financial muscle to fund a marquee signing. Reports now suggest Atletico have lowered their asking price to around 120 million euros, down from the 150m valuation they held during the summer window. Whether that softer stance is enough to beat Barcelona to the signature remains the open question.
Stay with TipsGG for the latest on Alvarez’s next move and every twist in Arsenal’s striker search.