Arsenal's hope of landing Julián Alvarez has been revived by Atletico Madrid's interest in Noni Madueke, with January now looking like a genuine checkpoint in the deal. Arsenal explored bringing in Alvarez in the summer after Barcelona's push did not lead to an exit, and the latest overlap gives them a route back into the conversation.
Atletico's interest in Madueke
Atletico are reported to have shown interest in Madueke, which is the freshest lever in the story. The winger has featured five times for Arsenal this season, but only twice in the Premier League, and he has been on the pitch for just 23 Premier League minutes.
That limited role is why his name keeps coming up if Arsenal try to push this into a swap deal or a cash-plus-player move. The January window is the point at which that structure could be explored, and it is the part of the story that gives Arsenal something to work with.
Alvarez's side of the market
The other pressure point is Alvarez himself. TEAMtalk says he was determined to leave Atletico in the summer but Barcelona was his preferred destination, while Foot Mercato says Atletico remain under no obligation to sell and that his contract runs until 2030.
That leaves Arsenal chasing a player whose future is still not straightforward. TEAMtalk also says Arsenal are now emerging as his first-choice alternative to Barcelona, but the wider reporting does not present that as settled. The route is there, though, and Atletico's interest in Madueke is the clearest reason January has become the date to watch.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →
