Julian Alvarez to Chelsea: Transfer truth revealed amid €120m battle

Cameron Smith

• 12 Feb 2026 03:10 CST
• 3 min read

Nieuws

Chelsea have been heavily linked with a move for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez in recent weeks, however he is reportedly not one of the club’s current transfer targets.

The Argentina international is understood to be unsettled at the Wanda Metropolitano and rumours suggest that he is expected to leave Diego Simeone’s side for pastures new following the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.

A number of elite European clubs have been touted as possible destinations for Alvarez, with Arsenal, Barcelona, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain considered to be four of the teams closely monitoring his situation in Spain.

However, The Daily Mail now report that Alvarez is not currently on Chelsea’s transfer radar, despite multiple reports suggesting otherwise.

The Blues have already finalised pre-agreements for Emmanuel Emegha (Strasbourg) and Dastan Satpaev (Kairat Almaty) to join the club this summer, while Nicolas Jackson could feasibly return to the first-team fold once his loan spell at Bayern Munich expires in July.

As a result, the reigning Club World Cup champions have reportedly not yet added Alvarez to their list of targets for the 2026 summer transfer window, despite the struggles of Liam Delap since his arrival from Ipswich Town last year.

The England striker has only scored three goals in 29 games for Chelsea and he is firmly behind fellow summer signing Joao Pedro in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge as things stand.

Alvarez, by comparison, has netted 40 goals and provided 13 assists in 89 appearances since joining Atletico Madrid in 2024, and it's reported that a fee of at least €120 million may be needed to sign him this summer.

Chelsea’s summer transfer plans

While Chelsea aren’t yet pursuing a deal for Alvarez, it’s claimed that Liam Rosenior’s side are set for a busy summer transfer window.

The Blues remain in the market for a new defender after missing out on Jeremy Jacquet to Liverpool in January, and they are also eager to bolster their options in midfield and attack.

Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton are both under consideration for the former position, while Aston Villa superstar Morgan Rogers is still regarded as a top target in a slightly more advanced role.

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