Arsenal have been handed an update on Julian Alvarez's future as Atletico Madrid confirm he will miss their La Liga clash against Malaga. The Argentine's uncertain future and availability was a dominant topic in Diego Simeone's press conference on Tuesday morning.
What happened?
Diego Simeone has revealed that Julian Alvarez will not feature in Atletico Madrid's squad to face Malaga on Wednesday. The Argentine has been strongly linked to Barcelona, but Arsenal have also been mentioned as a possible destination.
Why it matters for Arsenal
Arsenal have been linked with a move for Alvarez, who has been viewed as a marquee alternative to Vinicius Jr. The Gunners could unintentionally assist their competitors for Alvarez's signature with Jules Kounde being weighed up as an alternative to both Ezri Konsa and Jarell Quansah.
What comes next?
Atletico Madrid have made it abundantly clear they will not sell to Barcelona, but Arsenal represents a realistic destination for Alvarez. The club's stance on the transfer has been re-iterated by Simeone, who said that the club will take care of the person and the player, and understand that he's not in condition to play in this match.
In related news, Arsenal are currently 7 points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, with a league standing of 1st in the final 2025 table, 85 points, 26W-7D-5L from 38 games, recent form WWWWW. They have scored 71 goals this season and conceded 27, with a lead of 7 points clear of Manchester City. Their next fixture is against Fulham on 2027-02-20, where they will be looking to continue their winning form.
The Gunners are also considering Jules Kounde as an alternative to both Ezri Konsa and Jarell Quansah, with the Bayer Leverkusen defender having recently emerged as a potential option for Mikel Arteta to cover the various absences of Jurrien Timber and William Saliba. Kounde's ability to operate both centrally in defence and at right-back is a crucial element in their pursuit, although Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera both put in solid performances during the Community Shield victory over Manchester City on Sunday.
