Chelsea sent representatives to a meeting in London last week to discuss Nicolas Jackson with Atletico Madrid. They left having also asked the price of Julian Alvarez.
The twist was reported by Italian journalist Nico Schira and picked up across Europe.
“Chelsea have explored the conditions of Julian Alvarez’s possible deal last Thursday during the meeting in London with Atletico Madrid, when Atleti opened talks to try to sign Nicolas Jackson from CFC,” Schira wrote.
Jackson is available. Chelsea have priced him at £65m and want him gone before the transfer window closes on 1 September, with Aston Villa having tabled a formal offer of around €70m.
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Napoli and Atletico are also monitoring the Senegal forward, and it is that Atletico interest Chelsea are trying to work into an Alvarez conversation.
Atletico’s number is €200m
Talk is one thing, price is another. Atletico Madrid want in the region of €200m (£171m) for Alvarez. Arsenal have been prepared to push toward £128m (€150m), but nothing near the club’s asking figure is yet on the table.
Arsenal’s finance department is not the obstacle. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano said the club believe they can find the money.
“Okay, we respect that the player is very expensive, but financially you can still try to find a way,” Romano said.
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The problem sits with the player himself.
“Julian is not rejecting Arsenal. Julian only wants to go to Barcelona,” Romano added.
Barcelona already have the personal terms
Alvarez agreed personal terms with FC Barcelona earlier in the summer, reported to be a five-year contract. Hansi Flick’s side had a bid of around €100m rejected, and Barcelona’s finances do not stretch to Atletico’s demand.
Atletico’s issue with Barcelona is not only money. They will not sell a player of Alvarez’s stature to a direct La Liga rival, and that is the wall the entire saga keeps hitting.
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Arsenal wait on the player
Ben Jacobs of GiveMeSport, who first reported that Arsenal are “all in”, framed it as a matter of Alvarez’s word.
“My feeling here is despite what Atletico Madrid have said publicly, if Julian Alvarez says yes to Arsenal, then Arsenal will move and get the player,” Jacobs said.
Romano’s own read is that the door has stayed shut from the player’s side.
“In case in the next eight days Julian changes mind and says, ‘Okay, I go to Arsenal,'” Romano said.
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Mikel Arteta’s side are still hunting a marquee forward, but Arsenal are unwilling to commit £128m or more to a striker who is not asking to come.
Xabi Alonso has been in charge at Stamford Bridge since 1 July on a four-year contract, and has spent the summer reshaping Chelsea’s attack. That is why Jackson is being moved on, and why the Alvarez inquiry has been taken seriously enough in Madrid to be logged rather than laughed off.
The English window closes at 11pm local time on Tuesday 1 September.
