Arsenal are taking a practical view of their prospects of recruiting Alvarez before next week’s transfer window closes.
They are interested in him and actively exploring a deal, but completing the move remains far from certain.
Manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta recognise that the transfer will be difficult, particularly because the former Manchester City forward has not yet indicated that he is ready to join Arsenal.
His hesitation over moving to London does not appear to reflect concerns about Arsenal. Instead, accepting the switch would mean giving up his ambition of signing for Barcelona.
Alvarez has also been informed about visa rules that could make it harder for members of his family to visit him in the United Kingdom.
A move to Catalonia remains his preferred outcome.
The Camp Nou side are also keen to make the transfer happen.
However, Atletico Madrid remain determined not to sell Alvarez to Barcelona.
In May, Atletico published several social media messages ridiculing the Spanish champions’ pursuit of their forward in front of millions of followers.
Atletico urged supporters not to trust every report concerning Barcelona and claimed that one of their players had been targeted by a damaging campaign in recent months.
The Madrid club consider the issue settled, placing Alvarez’s preferred transfer in considerable doubt.
That situation offers Arsenal a small opening because a switch to the Emirates Stadium currently appears to be his only realistic route away.
Sources familiar with the situation suggest Alvarez has become slightly more receptive in recent days, although the change is not yet significant enough to raise expectations at Arsenal.
If he reconsiders during the closing days of the window, the Gunners will be ready to act.
Arsenal have reportedly believed since the beginning of the summer that Alvarez was unlikely to secure a move to Barcelona.
While the forward continued to hope for that transfer, Arteta’s team concentrated on attempts to sign Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa, while also pursuing Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Jr.
After the Brazilian agreed a contract extension to remain in Spain, Arsenal decided to intensify their efforts to recruit Alvarez.
Atletico director Mateu Alemany visited London last week and is believed to have held discussions with Arsenal officials, informing them that his club would demand 150 million euros (£128 million).
Arsenal believe they have the financial resources to fund the deal and can complete it swiftly if Alvarez agrees to join.
Arteta understands that Alvarez would only move to Arsenal this summer because his first-choice destination is unavailable.
The Arsenal manager is reportedly comfortable with those circumstances and believes the forward would gradually embrace the club’s plans and become fully committed to the project.
The decision now rests with Alvarez. People close to the attacker maintain that he wants to leave Atletico, and the Premier League champions currently appear to represent his only available option.
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