Arsenal agree Martinelli and Jesus exits while pushing to sign Julián Álvarez

Arsenal have moved decisively in the final stretch of the transfer window and already have deals in place to offload Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Fábio Vieira for a combined figure above £70m. With that financial room and attacking gaps to fill, the London club have turned their attention to Julián Álvarez, but time is not on their side: the Argentine forward has his mind set on wearing the Barcelona shirt. Atlético Madrid, for their part, insist they will not do business with the Catalan club for their player.

• Arsenal have agreed to sell Martinelli, Jesus and Vieira for more than £70m in total.
• Julián Álvarez only wants to join Barcelona and returned to training after missing the win over Sevilla.
• Mikel Arteta spoke with the Argentine last week in an effort to bring him back to the Premier League.
• Atlético consider Álvarez untouchable and have already agreed a loan deal for Jonathan David from Juventus.
• Gabriel Jesus was at Camp Nou to watch Barcelona's 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano.

Why Julián Álvarez is Arsenal's main attacking target

Arsenal's recruitment team sees Julián Álvarez as a player capable of raising the ceiling of their attack. At 26, the World Cup winner with Argentina already knows the demands of the Premier League from his time at Manchester City, where he won the treble in 2023 before moving to Atlético Madrid in 2024. His ability to play as a central striker or from the flank makes him a highly attractive option for Mikel Arteta.

The obstacle is not financial but personal. The player has made it clear that Barcelona are his priority, and Atlético are unwilling to strengthen a direct rival in the title race. The Madrid club's stance is firm, leaving Arsenal with little margin to change the picture before the deadline.

The sales funding Arsenal's push for Álvarez

Gabriel Jesus is on the verge of joining Barcelona for £8.6m. The 29-year-old Brazilian had slipped down the pecking order at the Emirates behind Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyökeres, and had entered the final year of his contract. He was at Camp Nou on Monday to watch the 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano, and Hansi Flick made no secret of his delight at the striker's imminent arrival.

The biggest departure is Gabriel Martinelli's move to Al-Hilal. The Brazilian winger, who scored six times in last season's Champions League but only once in the Premier League, travelled on Monday for his medical after being left out of the squad against Coventry. His transfer, worth £56m, would become the most expensive sale in Arsenal's history, surpassing the £40m Liverpool paid for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2017. Fábio Vieira, on loan at Hamburg last season, is set to join the German club permanently for £8.6m.

Atlético Madrid's stance on Julián Álvarez

Atlético do not contemplate a scenario in which Julián Álvarez plays for Barcelona. The Madrid club have already agreed a deal with Juventus to sign Jonathan David on loan with an option to make the move permanent next summer, a transfer that strengthens their forward line without opening the exit door for the Argentine.

Álvarez rejoined group training on Sunday after being left out of the squad for the win against Sevilla. His commitment to Atlético is not in question, although his desire to play at Camp Nou keeps the saga alive in the final days of the window.

Arsenal's alternative attacking options

Arteta confirmed the club are working to strengthen the squad before the deadline. The manager played down questions about Álvarez and said his focus had been on the match, while acknowledging that the club are looking to improve the team. "We are trying to improve the squad and until tomorrow night we are going to do that," he said.

Among the names on Arsenal's shortlist was Iliman Ndiaye of Everton, but Manchester City are in advanced talks to sign the Senegal forward for £65m. The London club also missed out on Morgan Rogers, who ended up at Chelsea, and saw an ambitious attempt to sign Vinícius Júnior fail when the Brazilian extended his contract with Real Madrid.

How Arsenal's squad looks after the window

With Christos Tzolis arriving to replace Leandro Trossard on the left, Martinelli's departure opens up space for another winger. Eberechi Eze is one of the options who can play in that area should Arsenal decide to enter the market in the final hours. Jesus's exit also frees up a significant spot in attack, making accuracy in the next signings even more crucial.

Frequently asked questions about Arsenal's window and Julián Álvarez