David Ornstein says Julián Alvarez has told Arsenal he does not want to join, and that leaves the deal stuck on the player’s side rather than the club-to-club side. Ornstein said the chance of the move was low, while Atletico Madrid would still do business if Alvarez insists on leaving.

The latest public back and forth between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona prompted a five-hour meeting between Alvarez, his family and agents on Thursday evening, which dragged into the early hours of Friday morning. Atletico told him he must decide by Sunday evening whether he is staying or joining Arsenal.

Ornstein's view on Arsenal

Ornstein’s line was the clearest one in the story. Speaking on football365.com, he said: “Alvarez has shown no indication of wanting to join at this point. He’s spoken to Mikel Arteta & said that he doesn’t want to come.” He also said Atletico Madrid would do a deal with Arsenal, but only if the player wanted the move.

That is the part keeping this from becoming a straightforward bid story. Arsenal can reach a club-to-club agreement, but the player’s stance is still the blocker.

Barcelona and the wider market

Barcelona have kept themselves in the discussion, and Joan Laporta said the club were “keeping our hopes up and sticking to our plan” to try to sign him. He also said Barcelona would like to reach an agreement with Atletico and were standing by their proposal.

The money around the saga is large enough to explain why it has dragged on. Barcelona made a €100million bid in June, while Atletico are said to want around £130million. Alvarez has also had 9 appearances and 655 minutes in 2026, so the noise is building around a player who is still being used regularly.

Arsenal have won four of their last five matches, which makes the timing awkward for any club chasing a late attacking addition. Atletico, by contrast, have only one win in their last five club matches. The decision now sits with Alvarez, and Atletico’s deadline is Sunday evening.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 6 outlets. How we work →