Julian Alvarez Turns Down Manchester City Return as Arsenal Transfer Talks Continue
Julian Alvarez has reportedly turned down a sensational return to Manchester City, according to Spanish outlet Cadena SER, even as his broader transfer future remains unresolved amid interest from Arsenal and his own well-documented preference to join Barcelona instead.
According to the report, Manchester City made contact with Atletico Madrid to explore a possible move for the Argentine striker, with some reports suggesting the English champions were considering a loan return rather than a permanent deal. However, Alvarez is said to have categorically rejected the idea of returning to the club he left in 2024, with reports indicating his reluctance stems specifically from not wanting to make a Premier League return, rather than any issue with Manchester City as a club. Alvarez spent two seasons at the Etihad Stadium, winning the Premier League title twice, the FA Cup once and the Champions League once, before departing for Atletico Madrid in an £82 million deal.
Arsenal, meanwhile, remain firmly in the picture as one of the frontrunners for Alvarez’s signature, with reports suggesting the north London club could be willing to pay as much as €150 million, or roughly £130 million, to bring the striker to the Emirates Stadium. According to some reports, Alvarez’s entourage is said to favour a move to Arsenal specifically, in the event that his preferred switch to Barcelona does not materialise. Atletico Madrid have remained firm in their refusal to sell the player to Barcelona, their direct domestic rivals, but have shown greater flexibility toward a sale to Arsenal instead, leaving the Gunners waiting for clearer encouragement from the player’s camp before submitting a formal offer.
The situation surrounding Alvarez has grown increasingly tense in recent days. The 26-year-old missed three consecutive training sessions at Atletico Madrid after being booed by the club’s own supporters during a recent La Liga fixture, before returning to train individually with a fitness coach as part of a tailored programme. According to Argentine journalist Veronica Brunati, Alvarez’s reluctance to return to England is rooted partly in a family matter, with his parents’ UK residency permits having expired roughly two years after his move to Manchester City, forcing them to leave the country. Spain, by contrast, is said to offer considerably more flexible immigration options for his family, a factor believed to be shaping his preference to remain in the country regardless of which Spanish club he ultimately represents.
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has publicly sought to play down the growing transfer speculation, insisting that Alvarez remains a contracted and content member of the squad, whose current deal runs until 2030. The club is also reported to have offered him a new contract in an attempt to ward off suitors, though this has done little to dampen the ongoing transfer talk surrounding his future.
With the transfer window closing within days, Alvarez’s situation remains unresolved. While his rejection of a Manchester City return removes one option from the table, it leaves Arsenal and Barcelona as the two realistic destinations still under consideration, with Atletico’s refusal to sell to Barcelona continuing to leave the door open, at least in theory, for a move to the Emirates Stadium before the window shuts.
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