Atletico Madrid have submitted a new bid for Juventus forward Jonathan David, a move that may hint at Julian Alvarez's future away from the club. Alvarez is pushing to leave Atletico amid interest from Arsenal and Barcelona, though the Argentine is said to favour a move to the Nou Camp.
Atletico have publicly stated they are unwilling to let Alvarez leave for a La Liga rival. He was absent from training this week and left out of Diego Simeone's squad for the 3-1 win at Sevilla, prompting Atletico to issue a deadline for negotiations before the window shuts on Tuesday.
Atletico's stance on Alvarez
Atletico are reported to have given Alvarez until Sunday to decide on his future and confirm whether he is prepared to move to Arsenal or stay put. He has been outspoken about his desire to join Barcelona, yet Atletico have made it clear that offloading him to a direct rival is not on the table.
"Our intention and my personal dream is for him to stay with us, to remain at Atletico," Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin told Spanish broadcaster Movistar Plus. "To compete among the greats, you need great players, and Julian is one. If he believes that staying at Atletico Madrid is no longer feasible, we will look for an alternative, but it will never, ever be Barcelona."
David bid and Arsenal's search
With a departure still on the cards ahead of the transfer deadline, Atleti have lodged a loan bid with Juventus for David, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. Negotiations are continuing as both clubs work through the finer points of the proposal, with the Canada international open to a move to La Liga. Juventus, however, must bring in a replacement before any transfer can be completed.
Arsenal are still searching for a high-profile striker, having already been turned down by Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior - the former completing a £117million switch to Chelsea and the latter choosing to remain at Real Madrid. Their frontline alternatives are dwindling, with Gabriel Martinelli having agreed a transfer to Al-Hilal and Gabriel Jesus also edging closer to sealing a move to Barcelona.
Arteta pressed on talks
Arsenal will be hopeful that Barcelona's pursuit of Jesus persuades Alvarez to consider other options. He reportedly told Mikel Arteta he had no desire to join the Gunners when they spoke. Whether that position changes now that a move to Barcelona appears off the table remains to be seen.
Following reports of Arteta's exchange with Alvarez, the Spaniard was pressed in his press conference on whether he had held talks with the Gunners' target. Arteta replied: "Don't go there."
