Arsenal Eyes Julian Alvarez After Vinicius Junior's Madrid Renewal
Vinicius Junior was never really coming. Not to Arsenal, not to the Premier League. Not once Real Madrid put a 2032 contract in front of him.
For a brief spell, though, the idea caught fire.
With the Brazilian forward heading into the final 12 months of his previous deal at the Santiago Bernabeu, whispers grew louder. His camp were reported to be testing the waters across Europe and Saudi Arabia, where money flows freely and Cristiano Ronaldo still leads the Saudi Pro League’s star parade. England’s heavyweights, always alert to an elite-level opportunity, were inevitably dragged into the conversation.
Arsenal, reshaping their attack after parting ways with Leandro Trossard and preparing to cash in on Gabriel Martinelli, looked like an obvious landing spot. Vinicius, a recent Ballon d’Or contender and a picture of consistency in Madrid, would have walked straight into Mikel Arteta’s left flank as a headline signing.
Christos Tzolis has settled quickly after his move to north London, his earlier spell at Norwich helping him adjust. He offers energy, direct running, promise. Vinicius would have offered stardust.
In the end, he signed on again at Real, tying himself to the European champions through 2032. For former Premier League stalwart Gareth Barry, speaking to GOAL on behalf of BetVictor Online Casino, the whole saga looked familiar.
“I was buzzing to see Vinicius Junior linked with the Premier League. It would have been great to see him over here,” Barry said, before cutting to the heart of it. From his vantage point, this was negotiation theatre.
“From afar, it seemed like a classic agent's tactic, if they were in negotiations, bringing in another massive club would obviously pique interest and help get that contract spiced up to meet demands before signing. It was classic agent play, personally.
“At the same time, it would have been great to see him in the Premier League, as he's one of the world's stars at the moment.”
The dream of Vinicius in red and white has gone. The market, though, hasn’t stopped moving.
Alvarez intrigue grows
Attention has swung back to La Liga, where another South American forward is at the centre of transfer noise. Julian Alvarez, a World Cup winner with Argentina and already well known in England from his time at Manchester City, is looking for a way out of Atletico Madrid.
The 24-year-old’s situation has alerted clubs across Europe. Arsenal are among those linked, as they weigh up whether to add yet another versatile attacker to a squad already stacked with technical quality.
Barry, whose long-standing Premier League appearance record was overtaken by James Milner last season, can see why Atletico are digging their heels in.
“I was surprised to see that Julian Alvarez wants to leave Atletico, but I understand why they'll keep him. He's a great player, his work rate's incredible,” he said.
“He'd be a great team-mate, I'm sure, to play alongside. I was surprised by the links with Arsenal. I think it's probably similar to what they've already got.
“I'm not sure they would have needed him, but there would definitely be interest from other Premier League clubs. But yeah, I think if [Diego] Simeone is that strong on keeping him, I'm sure he'll stay for another year at least.”
Simeone’s stance is clear: Alvarez is too important to lose lightly. The forward’s intensity, pressing and versatility fit the Atletico manager’s demands almost perfectly. Letting him walk now would mean more than just replacing goals.
Barcelona lurking, Arsenal waiting
Arsenal are not alone in monitoring the situation. Barcelona, short of a reliable central striker, have also been circling Alvarez as they search for a focal point in attack.
The problem for the Catalan club is money. Transfer funds at Camp Nou remain tight, limiting what they can realistically put on the table. That financial strain could leave a gap for a better-positioned club to step through if Atletico’s resolve softens.
Arsenal, fresh from opening the defence of their Premier League crown with a comfortable win over Coventry to start the 2026-27 campaign, are watching the late-window landscape carefully. They have until September 1 to make a decisive move, whether for Alvarez or another target.
Vinicius Junior will not be walking through the doors at London Colney. That chapter closed the moment he signed his Madrid extension. Alvarez’s story, though, is still being written — and the final twist may yet belong to a club in England.
