London calling? No thanks! Álvarez turns down Arsenal despite Atlético's green light

The summer's longest transfer saga has produced its most unexpected twist yet.

Details: According to Mundo Deportivo, Julián Álvarez has said no to Arsenal despite Atlético Madrid being open to selling him. The Rojiblancos reportedly viewed the Gunners as the only acceptable destination for their star, but the Argentine forward has flatly rejected a move to London.

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The World Cup winner has spent the entire summer pushing for a move to Barcelona, publicly admitting he wants to fulfil his dream at Camp Nou. The standoff escalated to the point where Simeone left him out of the squad for Atlético's La Liga opener, while Barcelona insist their €100 million offer is final. Atlético, furious with the Catalans' tactics, preferred to sell to Arsenal, and now that door has slammed shut too.

Last season Álvarez scored 20 goals and provided 9 assists in 49 appearances for Atlético, and this summer he played all eight of Argentina's matches at the 2026 World Cup, scoring in the quarterfinal before losing the final to Spain. It's worth noting that the striker has a release clause worth a staggering £429 million, so any deal will be decided purely by club-to-club negotiations.

Reminder: Full stop in the summer's main saga! Simeone delivers final verdict on the future of Atlético's star forward.