Atletico Madrid don show say dem no wan sell Julian Alvarez, even as Arsenal dey look am with strong eye for transfer market. Di Gunners don dey admire di Argentina international for long time, and im reputation just rise again afta im score one powerful free-kick for Atletico 2-0 win over Barcelona for Champions League quarter-final yesterday night.
Alvarez join Atletico Madrid from Manchester City two years ago afta im tire to dey play second fiddle to Erling Haaland for di Premier League giants. Under Diego Simeone coaching, di 26-year-old don turn to complete centre forward, and im performance yesterday don put Atletico for brink of semi-final place – where dem likely go face Arsenal, di club wey want am pass.
Arsenal spend plenty money last summer to strengthen dia attack, but Viktor Gyokeres wey dey on track to score 20 goals for all competitions no fully convince. Gabriel Jesus sef look like dem go consider am surplus to requirements, while Kai Havertz durability still dey issue. Most of Havertz appearances since im return from knee injury don come for attacking midfield role.
To carry Alvarez comot from Atletico go need club-record fee for Arsenal, especially as di former City star still get four years for im current contract. Atletico president Enrique Cerezo even remind everybody about dis before di big win over Barcelona. Wen journalist talk say Alvarez dey under contract with Atletico, Cerezo reply say im sef dey ‘under contract with God.’
‘You dey under contract with life,’ Cerezo continue. ‘No take am serious, because some things you no suppose take serious. If player get contract and still get years remain, tell me wetin fit happen. Now imagine say I be God and I go decide wen im suppose leave.’
Atletico main focus now na to finish di season strong and maintain di advantage wey dem get before second leg against Barcelona next week. Alvarez free-kick goal na highlight of di victory and add to Barcelona wahala afta Pau Cubarsi red card.
‘Yesterday we practice free kicks,’ Alvarez talk. ‘Today na di day. E come for key moment, so I dey very happy.’
Meanwhile, for Arsenal side, news dey always mix. Some headlines dis morning talk say David Raya don become Arsenal most important player, while another one dey ask why Martin Odegaard dey turn to problem for Arsenal. Di way people support football team don change – for many, e don turn to game of negatives with small praise wey dem dey throw late.
Many writers dey always talk say manager no sabi and dem know better which players to buy or pick. Blogs wey suppose counter newspaper negativity don join to dey run negative stories too. Even Mail newspaper dey write positive story about how Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz dey form strike partnership wey fit revive Arsenal attack for title run-in.
Di routine of listing players Arsenal go buy dis summer don affect sef – now we get stories about players Arsenal no go buy because dem too slow, and transfer window still dey over two months away (15 June). Dis one dey important because e affect how some people see di game and how players wey Arsenal want dey see wetin dey happen for Arsenal.
‘Do I want come make my club own fans and media insult me?’ Positive news dey, but e dey hard to find sometimes. For example, for last Champions League game, Declan Rice win possession 13 times – di highest number by Arsenal midfielder for latter stage Champions League match since Mikel Arteta do same thing against Bayern Munich 13 years ago.
Football dey play across nine months of di year, and many times individual games no mean much. Wetin mean plenty na cumulative effect. For London clubs league table, Fulham, Tottenham and West Ham don concede over twice as many goals as Arsenal.
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