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Julian Alvarez is reportedly willing to join Arsenal this summer, despite still having major doubts about returning to England. The forward had earlier seen Barcelona as his ideal destination, but with the Catalan giants no longer pushing ahead, he is now seriously weighing up a switch to North London as the transfer window enters its decisive final days.

A shift in stance

According to Spanish sports journalist Pedro Morata, Alvarez is due to decide today whether to open talks with Arsenal or stay at Atletico Madrid. While the attacker had previously rejected any transfer that did not involve Barcelona, Morata says he is now prepared to consider Arsenal even though he has several reservations and is not especially keen on going back to England.

The current situation is said to stand at 55 per cent in favour of remaining in Spain, with the other 45 per cent reflecting his openness to joining the Premier League club. That marks a notable change, especially after earlier reports indicated he would leave only for a move to Catalonia.

London meetings and huge demands

In an effort to move negotiations forward, Atletico Madrid director of football Mateu Alemany recently travelled to London for talks with Arsenal officials, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Gunners have submitted an initial offer worth £103 million plus £4m in add-ons, but Atletico Madrid are asking for a massive £129m.

The Spanish side are reportedly open to negotiating with Arsenal, partly because they want Viktor Gyokeres as Alvarez's replacement. Even so, the valuation remains a serious stumbling block, particularly in light of the public position taken earlier by Atletico Madrid CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin, who had stated they would not entertain bids of €150m or €200m.

Rising tensions in Madrid

The mood around Alvarez has worsened as the deadline approaches. The forward was left out of Atletico Madrid's opening La Liga match, a 2-0 win over Malaga, which led to hostile chants from home fans.

Explaining that decision, manager Diego Simeone said: "We don't believe Julian Alvarez is in the right condition to play or take part for tomorrow's game. Hopefully, over these next four days, he'll make further progress and we'll be closer to where we want him to be." Although the official reason was his match condition, the timing has only fuelled further speculation that a departure could be close.

What next for Arsenal and Alvarez?

With the transfer window set to shut soon, Arsenal now have to decide quickly whether to improve their bid and match Atletico Madrid's heavy demands. Alvarez is expected to give his final verdict on his future today. If the two clubs are unable to find middle ground, Mikel Arteta will have to turn to other attacking options before the deadline expires.