Julian Alvarez has long been linked with a potential move to Arsenal -Credit:Denis Doyle, Getty Images Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has confirmed that Arsenal transfer target Julian Alvarez will miss their La Liga opener against Malaga on Wednesday. The 26-year-old has been linked with a potential departure this summer, attracting interest from the Gunners and Barcelona, but supporters won't see him take the field on Wednesday. When questioned about Alvarez's availability via Marca, he said: "I still think the same way. I take care of the sporting side. We've been talking as we always do. "From a sporting perspective, we need more training sessions with him so he can improve. He's one of the best attacking players... if not the best." Alvarez reported back late from the FIFA World Cup following Argentina's run to the Final.
Mykhailo Mudryk speaks out after Chelsea star's doping suspension is lifted Wayne Rooney urges Man United to sign Arsenal star and sends Marcus Rashford warning -Credit:NurPhoto, NurPhoto via Getty Images The former Manchester City player dominated much of Simeone's press conference on Tuesday, with journalists also probing about their legal dispute against Barcelona. The coach reinforced their position that he is not for sale, as per football.london. He said: "I think if the club owner spoke so bluntly about what he said, that's all there is to it, it's more than clear. This is like when you go to court... there's nothing more to it. We take care of the person and the player, we understand that he's not in condition to play in this match." Atletico have made their position abundantly clear — they will not sell to Barcelona — but Arsenal represents a realistic potential destination for the Argentine, who is viewed as a marquee alternative to Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. Despite that firm stance, the La Liga champions remain Alvarez's dream club, though whether they can financially engineer a deal after recently securing Rodri from Manchester City is another matter entirely. To listen to the latest episode of 'All Out Soccer' - CLICK HERE Arsenal could inadvertently help their rivals in their pursuit of Alvarez's signature, with Barca defender Jules Kounde under consideration as an alternative to both Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa and Bayer Leverkusen's Jarell Quansah. The Leverkusen defender has recently emerged as a potential option for Mikel Arteta to address the recurring absences of Jurrien Timber and William Saliba. His ability to operate across both central defense and right-back makes him an attractive proposition, though Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera both delivered strong performances in Sunday's Community Shield victory over City. Myles Lewis-Skelly also caught the eye, registering an impressive assist, while his long-term future remains under scrutiny after both Chelsea and Manchester United were presented with the opportunity to acquire his signature.