Man City Joins Alvarez Chase Amid Arsenal's €150m Plans

Manchester City have barged into the race for Alvarez, threatening to derail what looked like a blockbuster Premier League move to Arsenal.

The Treble winners have made initial enquiries with Atletico Madrid over a sensational loan return for the forward, according to Marca, as Enzo Maresca scrambles for attacking reinforcements before the window shuts.

Arsenal’s €150m plan under threat

Arsenal thought they were at the front of the queue. The London club have shown firm interest and are prepared to push to a deal worth up to €150m (£130m) to take the 26-year-old to the Emirates Stadium.

Atletico, for their part, are ready to listen. They have opened the door to a huge sale to Arsenal and are waiting for a clear signal from the player’s camp before inviting a formal offer. The plan is simple: no deal with Barcelona, big money from England.

The problem? Alvarez does not share their enthusiasm for a Premier League reunion.

Booed, absent, and desperate for Barcelona

The situation has spiralled in Madrid over the past week. Alvarez has skipped training for three straight days after being loudly booed by Atletico fans last Sunday, a clear sign of a relationship that is breaking down fast.

His preference is obvious. He wants Barcelona. Atletico’s stance is just as clear. They refuse to negotiate with their Catalan rivals and remain “absolutely adamant” that a move to Camp Nou is off the table.

That leaves the forward stuck between his ideal destination and the only concrete pathways out: Arsenal’s big-money bid and City’s late push.

City’s crisis and a familiar solution

Back in Manchester, circumstances have forced City’s hand. The recent exits of Omar Marmoush and Savinho have stripped Maresca’s squad of depth in attack, leaving the champions suddenly light on firepower.

Alvarez would be the most straightforward fix. He knows the club, the league, the demands. In his previous spell at City, he scored 36 goals in 103 games and played a crucial role in their historic Treble-winning season. Few players could walk straight back into the Etihad dressing room and pick up where they left off. He is one of them.

City are exploring a loan, a move that would suit their immediate needs but jar with Atletico’s valuation and desire for a major sale.

Money, resistance and a ticking clock

For now, there are no formal negotiations between City and Atletico. The Spanish side are holding firm on their huge price tag, aware that Arsenal are ready to go big and that City’s interest only strengthens their hand.

Any City move faces two major obstacles: Atletico’s financial demands and the player’s own reluctance to return to England. Convincing him to choose a Premier League comeback over his Barcelona dream may prove as difficult as striking a deal with Madrid’s hierarchy.

The clock is ticking, the pressure is rising, and one question hangs over the final days of the window: does Alvarez bend to the market, or does a top European club blink first?