Julian Alvarez will not be in Atletico Madrid's squad for their La Liga match against Malaga on Wednesday, with Diego Simeone confirming the forward is not in condition to play. The Argentine has been linked with a move away from the Spanish capital, with Arsenal emerging as a potential destination.
Simeone's update on Alvarez
Speaking in his press conference on Tuesday morning, Simeone said: "I still think the same way. I take care of the sporting side. We've been talking as we always do. From a sporting perspective, we need more training sessions with him so he can improve. He's one of the best attacking players... if not the best."
Alvarez only recently returned to Madrid after playing in the World Cup final with Argentina. His future has been a dominant topic, with Barcelona also showing interest, though Atletico have made it clear they will not sell to the Catalan club.
Arsenal's interest and alternatives
Arsenal view Alvarez as a marquee alternative to Vinicius Jr., but they could unintentionally assist Barcelona in their pursuit. The Gunners are weighing up Jules Kounde as an option to cover for Jurrien Timber and William Saliba, with the Bayer Leverkusen defender able to play both centrally and at right-back.
Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera both impressed in the Community Shield victory over Manchester City on Sunday, while Myles Lewis-Skelly also caught the eye with an outstanding assist. Chelsea and Manchester United have been presented with the opportunity to sign Lewis-Skelly.
