Arsenal's Julian Alvarez Chase Takes New Turn as Marli Salmon Signs
Arsenal’s week has swung from European relief to domestic frustration – and now to a cold dose of transfer reality.
They edged into the Champions League semi-finals with a flat 0-0 draw at home to Sporting CP, doing just enough after their 1-0 first-leg win but offering almost nothing in attack. Then came Manchester City away, a game that felt like a title decider in all but name. Arsenal fought, pressed, and stayed in the contest, yet walked away with a 2-1 defeat that could let City pull level on points if they win their game in hand against Burnley.
While Mikel Arteta wrestles with the here and now, the club’s hierarchy are already deep in the summer battle.
Alvarez leans toward Barcelona
Julian Alvarez sits right at the heart of that fight.
The Atletico Madrid striker, heavily admired by Arsenal, is understood to prefer a move to Barcelona over a switch to north London this summer, according to reports in Spain. That is a blow for sporting director Andrea Berta, who has been central to the Gunners’ interest and was the man who originally took Alvarez to Atletico.
Arsenal have monitored the £100 million-rated forward closely. Since leaving Manchester City for Atletico in August 2024, the Argentine has exploded, scoring 19 goals in all competitions and establishing himself as one of Europe’s most dangerous attackers. That kind of form was always going to draw a crowd. Barcelona and PSG have joined the race, and the landscape has shifted.
Mundo Deportivo now report that the 26-year-old does not want a return to England or the Premier League. His preference, they claim, is a move to the Camp Nou if he leaves Atletico at all.
Atletico, for their part, are not standing still. The same outlet previously reported that the club are prepared to meet Alvarez’s demands after some initial hesitation, putting a new offer of around €10 million (£8m) per year on the table, up from his current €7m (£6m). The message from Madrid is clear: they believe they can convince him to stay long term.
All of this unfolds with a tantalising subplot on the horizon. Alvarez will face Arsenal later this month in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final. A transfer target, a European semi, and a striker in peak form – the stakes write themselves.
Marli Salmon signs on
While the Alvarez pursuit drifts into uncertainty, Arsenal have locked down one of their own.
Teenage defender Marli Salmon has signed a pre-contract agreement that will see him turn professional with the club when he turns 17. It is a significant marker in the career of a player the club rate highly.
Salmon made his first-team debut off the bench in December’s Champions League win over Club Brugge and has since added three FA Cup appearances. The Premier League bow has not yet arrived, but his trajectory is obvious. He captains the Under-21s and has earned the trust of Arteta’s staff.
Speaking to the club’s official channels, Salmon called it “a very big moment” for himself and his family, stressing his pride at having been in the academy since the age of nine and his determination to give everything to Arsenal. A boyhood fan, now tied down to the club he supports, with a clear path in front of him.
He has had a taste of senior football. The next step is to turn those cameos into something more permanent.
Arsenal’s present is dominated by a title race and a looming Champions League semi-final. Their future, though, hangs on questions like these: can they persuade an elite forward like Alvarez to join the project, and can talents like Salmon grow into the spine of the next great side?
