Steven Gerrard said he was “just glad he didn’t go to Arsenal” after Arsenal's attempt to land Julián Alvarez fell apart. The move was valued at up to £128million, and Gerrard made the comments on TNT Sports while talking through the transfer fallout.
Gerrard's view on the failed move
Gerrard went a step further when he discussed the situation with TNT Sports. “I think he’s got the manager’s trust and the manager’s backing and a goal and a good performance can obviously change a lot of things,” he said.
He also added: “But it will still be in the back of his head that maybe the chance of his dream move is gone and could be gone forever.” That is Gerrard’s read on the emotional side of it, not a fact anyone can prove from the outside.
Alvarez's numbers at Atletico Madrid help explain why the chase was so serious. He has 49 goals in 109 games for the club, a return that keeps him in the frame even after the move to Liverpool never happened.
Atletico's stance on Alvarez
Atletico's president, Enrique Cerezo, said: “The Julian case is closed.” He also said he sees Alvarez doing well and that his recovery is progressing well before he returns when the manager deems it appropriate.
That is the current club line, while the outside noise keeps circling because the original Arsenal pursuit was so ambitious. A £128million bid is not the sort of number that disappears quietly, and Gerrard's verdict has just kept the story alive a little longer.
The clean fact is that Arsenal wanted Alvarez, Gerrard was glad they did not get him, and Atletico are now saying the case is closed.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
