Arsenal prepare the final blow to Barcelona: a move to resolve the "last obstacle" in the Alvarez deal

Julián Álvarez has just one realistic way out of Atlético Madrid this summer. The Spanish club have slammed the door on any move for their Argentine striker to Barcelona, while Arsenal keep tabs on his situation with five days of the window left. The obstacles surrounding a deal now stretch well beyond football.

Spanish newspaper "Marca" report, citing sources inside Atlético Madrid, that the club flatly refuse to sell Álvarez to Barcelona. Their stance is unequivocal: "the chance of selling him to Barcelona equals zero". The striker, meanwhile, has stayed away from training for a third straight day, clinging to his hope of joining the Catalan club.

Joan Laporta had insisted Barcelona would keep trying to sign Álvarez until the deadline, only for Atlético to dig in further. The club's board issued a statement backing the decision not to sell to the Catalans, and tension between the two sides has been rising ever since.

With the Barcelona route shut, Atlético remain willing to sell Álvarez to a foreign club for 150 million euros. His future in the capital was already in doubt after the flashpoint against Villarreal, when Atlético supporters jeered their own star and the player then headed alone to the dressing room.

That is where Arsenal come in as the most realistic destination. The English club have shown strong interest in the Argentine, who is drawn to their sporting project. One problem has nothing to do with the pitch: the residency and visa procedures for his family in Britain.

Álvarez's family live with him in Spain. British immigration laws have tightened since Brexit, which could complicate any move to London on the family front, particularly as some of his relatives' residency permits expired after his previous spell in England.

His wife's case looks different, though. Journalist Verónica Brunati explained that Álvarez's wife can obtain residency as the dependent partner of someone holding a work visa, allowing her to live with him legally in the United Kingdom.

Arsenal are confident they can handle the visa file for the player's family if he agrees to move to the Emirates Stadium. They have not yet tabled a decisive official offer to Atlético Madrid, despite believing a deal can be struck before the window closes on the first of September.