Alvarez Reconsidering Arsenal Move as Gunners Line Up January Striker Targets

Arsenal's long pursuit of Julian Alvarez may not be over after all. The Atletico Madrid striker, who rejected the Gunners in the summer when he was interested only in Barcelona, is now reportedly giving serious consideration to a move to the Emirates.

Arsenal spent the summer waiting on the Argentine and were prepared to pay more than £100 million for his services. Alvarez rebuffed Mikel Arteta directly, but after Atletico blocked his dream switch to their La Liga rivals — and with the forward booed by his own supporters — the door has reopened ahead of the January window.

The Gunners are also exploring alternatives. Contact has been made over Bayer Leverkusen's Christian Kofane, with the 20-year-old pushing for a Premier League move and Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle among his reported suitors. Kofane's contract talks in Germany have stalled, though he is currently sidelined with an injury picked up on international duty with Cameroon. Arsenal have additionally been told €100 million would not be enough to prise Francesco Pio Esposito from Inter Milan.

The recruitment drive comes as the champions prepare to host Leeds on Saturday, looking to bounce back from the 3-0 defeat at Brighton that left them second. Off the pitch there is optimism: Arteta has signed a new deal until 2030 and Declan Rice is close to agreeing fresh terms.