Arsenal's pursuit of Julián Álvarez falters as player prefers Barcelona despite Martinelli, Jesus, Vieira sales

Arsenal are running out of time to persuade Julián Álvarez to join them from Atlético Madrid after agreeing to sell Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Fábio Vieira in deals collectively worth more than £70m.

Álvarez has his heart set on joining Barcelona despite Atlético’s insistence they will not sell to their La Liga rivals – he returned to training on Sunday after being left out of their squad for the win against Sevilla.

Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, is understood to have spoken last week to Álvarez in an effort to persuade the former Manchester City forward to return to the Premier League and to have been informed the Argentina international wants only Barcelona.

Asked directly about Álvarez after victory at Aston Villa on Monday, Arteta replied: “I don’t know. That’s for the people upstairs.”

But Arsenal’s manager did confirm they are seeking reinforcements. “We are trying to improve the squad and until tomorrow night we are going to do that,” he said. “I have been disconnected from the world for 24 hours because I think my energy and focus has to be on the match, but I will get back on it now.”

Barcelona have agreed an £8.6m deal to sign Jesus, who has entered the final year of his contract after falling down the pecking order behind Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyökeres. The 29-year-old Brazilian was at Camp Nou to watch the 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano on Monday. The Barcelona manager, Hansi Flick, said: “He’s a top striker and of course for us very important, he can give us a lot of things and [I’m] very happy that he’s here.”

However, the Spanish champions would like to sign another attacker after selling Ferran Torres to Paris Saint-Germain and are said to have not given up on Álvarez.

Atlético have agreed a deal with Juventus for Jonathan David on an initial loan with an option to make the Canada forward’s move permanent next summer. But they are understood to be determined to keep Álvarez, who joined from City in 2024.

Arsenal remain hopeful that the 26‑year‑old could change his mind but are believed to be monitoring several other attacking options. Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye was among the players on their shortlist but Manchester City are in advanced talks over a £65m deal for the Senegal forward. Arsenal missed out on Morgan Rogers to Chelsea and failed in an ambitious attempt to sign Vinícius Júnior, the Brazil forward signing a contract extension at Real Madrid.

Arsenal have signed Christos Tzolis to replace Leandro Trossard on the left but Martinelli’s expected departure to Al-Hilal for a club‑record £56m sale would create a space in the squad, although Eberechi Eze is also capable of playing there.

Martinelli, who scored six times in the Champions League last season but only once in the Premier League, was due to have his medical on Monday after being left out of Arsenal’s squad against Coventry on the opening weekend. His fee surpasses the £40m Liverpool paid Arsenal for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2017.

Vieira looks poised to join Hamburg, where he was on loan last season, for £8.6m.