Arsenal get two green lights to proceed with Julian Alvarez transfer in record-breaking deal

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Arsenal have been given two boosts in their pursuit of Julian Alvarez. The Argentina striker has made it clear he wants to leave Atletico Madrid, with Barcelona and Real Madrid both keen to sign him.

Barca are believed to be his preferred destination but Atletico's reluctance to do business with a La Liga rival has given the Gunners a chance of signing him, potentially as part of a cash-plus-player deal involving Viktor Gyokeres.

Spanish title AS reports that Atletico would be open to negotiating with Arsenal if they submit a "considerable" offer. Without any other player involved, the Gunners would need to smash the British transfer record, currently Liverpool's £125m capture of Alexander Isak last summer.

A deal involving Gyokeres would go down with Atletico fans. According to a poll on the same website, 91 per cent of supporters would back an £85m-plus-Gyokeres deal for Alvarez. Atletico were interested in Gyokeres last summer but couldn't match the Gunners' £63.5m offer, including add-ons, to Sporting CP.

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The Swede helped Arsenal to the title with 14 league goals, a respectable but not prolific return. The former Coventry ace had his detractors for his alleged lack of influence outside the penalty area, prompting some to wonder whether he should be the Gunners' first-choice number nine long term.

Last season, Paul Merson claimed that he wasn't "trusted" by his team-mates. During an appearance on Stick to Football, the Gunners legend suggested players were reluctant to give Gyokeres the ball.

He said: "I watch Gyokeres, Arsenal don't trust him, the players. They never pass to him, you watch him, next time he comes short they go 'No.'"

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Merson added: "If you watch it, you'd be surprised, then when [Gabriel] Jesus comes on, they keep on giving it him all the time. That's what I see when I watch the game."

Meanwhile, another ex-Gunner, Ray Parlour, would welcome the arrival of Alvarez, but alongside Gyokeres rather than instead of him. Parlour told 10Bet: "I think it's a no-brainer. There aren't a lot of great strikers around.

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"I'm sure there'd be a lot of clubs after Alvarez, but he would fit in pretty nicely. He's hard-working, a good finisher and quick.

"He's a little bit different to Gyokeres. Sometimes you can play two up front. Maybe he can drop a little bit deeper at times and run off Gyokeres. That could work. That's the position I think they've really got to look at, centre forward."