Julian Alvarez is said to be open to a Premier League return after Chelsea reportedly expressed interest in signing the Atletico Madrid attacker.
The Argentine has thrived since moving to Madrid in 2024 for £82 million, scoring 29 goals in his debut season and adding a further 11 so far this term.
Although the 25-year-old is settled at Atletico, his ambition to continue competing for major honours following his departure from Manchester City — where he won the Premier League twice — has yet to be fulfilled under Diego Simeone.
Atletico ended last season in third place in La Liga and currently sit fourth, eight points behind leaders Barcelona.
Ahead of last summer’s transfer window, Alvarez was linked with a number of English sides, with Liverpool and Arsenal both assessing potential moves before opting for alternative attacking targets.
Arsenal eventually landed Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting in a £64 million deal, while Liverpool invested heavily in Alexander Isak from Newcastle United and Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt.
Now, several top European clubs are keeping a close eye on Alvarez ahead of the summer, with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain long regarded as admirers of the former South American Footballer of the Year.
The Daily Mail reports that Chelsea have now entered the race, adding their name to a growing list of interested clubs.
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is keen to strengthen his forward line after mixed returns from his current attackers. Marc Guiu has scored four goals in all competitions, Joao Pedro has eight, and Liam Delap has just one Premier League strike.
Reports from Spain claim Chelsea’s interest is genuine, and crucially, Alvarez would be receptive to a move back to English football.
Despite not always being a guaranteed starter at Manchester City, Alvarez still registered 36 goals across two seasons while collecting major honours, including the Champions League, FA Cup and two league titles.
Atletico Madrid are reluctant to sell their star forward, though it is believed they could consider a summer exit if their €100 million (£87 million) valuation is met.
Addressing the speculation last month, Alvarez played down the rumours, saying they do not distract him and insisting his focus remains firmly on his development and success with Atletico.
Alvarez and Atletico now turn their attention to a key Champions League clash against Galatasaray on Wednesday night, with Simeone’s side currently eighth in the group standings — a position that would secure automatic qualification for the knockout rounds.
