Arsenal news: Julian Alvarez in huge transfer U-turn and contact made with striker's camp

· Mirror

Julian Alvarez has changed his mind about joining Arsenal, according to a report

Arsenal return to action on Saturday with a home Premier League fixture against Leeds United. The three-week international break saw 17 Gunners stars represent their nations, while Mikel Arteta no doubt used the time to examine details and fine-tune his tactics.

The reigning Premier League champions, despite a strong start to the 2026/27 season, are currently second in the league, owing to a shock 3-0 defeat to Brighton in their previous fixture. That torrid afternoon served as a warning that the north Londoners will not have it all their way this term and retaining the title will be no easy feat.

However, there have also been some positive developments in N5. Manager Arteta has signed a new contract that will keep him at the club up to 2030, with talks also progressing over star midfielder Declan Rice's deal.

Arteta will now hope for even more good news with regards to several of his players returning to fitness in time for Saturday’s clash, while Arsenal work behind the scenes on transfers. Here, Mirror Football takes a look at two of the latest transfer developments involving the club.

Julian Alvarez U-turn

Julian Alvarez has reportedly changed his mind and is now seriously considering a move to Arsenal in January. The Gunners waited the entire summer to see whether the Atletico Madrid striker would be open to joining them, having been prepared to pay more than £100million for his signature.

However, Alvarez insisted he only wanted a move to Barcelona, even turning Arteta down directly. After Atletico blocked his move to La Liga rivals Barca and Alvarez was booed by his own fans, many at Arsenal hoped the forward would change his mind.

But he ended up staying put in Madrid - a decision that has not paid off as he is yet to score a goal this season. And TEAMtalk now report that the 26-year-old is unhappy with the prospect of continuing at Atletico long term, handing Arsenal fresh hope.

The report states Alvarez’ move to Barcelona is growing even less likely, with the club considering a move for Erling Haaland, which the Argentine is aware would remove Barcelona as an option altogether. It is claimed that, following detailed discussions with his camp in recent weeks, Arsenal have emerged as his first-choice alternative.

The Gunners, meanwhile, are ready to make a fresh attempt to bring Alvarez to north London in January. They already discussed including the likes of Viktor Gyokeres or Noni Madueke in a potential swap deal, and the fact that neither player has had a prominent role this season suggests they may be offered to Atletico once more in January in a bid to secure their key target.

Contact made with striker’s camp

Arsenal have also reportedly set their sights on Bayer Leverkusen striker Christian Kofane. The north Londoners are claimed by SportBild to have made contact with the 20-year-old’s agent ahead of a potential January bid.

The German outlet reports that Arsenal have been in touch for some time, though they are not alone. Manchester United are also keen on Kofane and have spoken to his representatives.

Kofane’s negotiations with Bayer over a new contract have recently stalled. His current deal runs until 2029 and he earns around £850,000-a-year, but the Bundesliga outfit wants to increase this to over £3m a year to tie him down until 2031.

The Cameroonian scored seven goals in his first season with the Bundesliga side and impressed in a Champions League round of 16 clash with Arsenal last term, where he seemingly caught Arteta’s eye. The youngster’s agent, Eric Depolo, confirmed the north Londoners’ interest in Kofane back in April, stating that they were in pole position to secure his signature.

Depolo pointed to factors such as Arteta’s interest and influence, Kofane’s Spanish-speaking ability and Arsenal defender William Saliba’s Cameroonian heritage. He valued his client at around £85m.

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