Diego Simeone confirmed Arsenal are interested in signing Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez ahead of the two teams' Champions League semi-final clash.
Atleti welcome Mikel Arteta's side to the Metropolitano on Wednesday in the first leg of their final-four encounter, with both eyeing a spot in next month's showpiece in Budapest.
The Colchoneros and Arsenal will meet for just the fourth time in European competition, with half of those coming in this season's Champions League (2/4).
Arsenal won 4-0 in a league phase meeting last October, which remains Atleti’s joint-heaviest defeat in the competition (lost by four on five occasions).
But ahead of their latest match-up, the talk before kick-off surrounded the future of Alvarez, who is reportedly touted by some of Europe's top clubs for a move this summer.
The Argentine's nine goals this season are already the most by an Atleti player in a single European Cup/Champions League campaign.
He also leads all players in the 2025-26 edition for total high-intensity pressures (853), as well as the most per 90 (70 – min. 500 minutes played).
Alvarez has registered 65 goal contributions (48 goals, 17 assists) in 104 appearances in competitions since joining Atleti from Manchester City in August 2024, and he is well known to Arsenal's sporting director Andrea Berta, who oversaw his move to Spain from the Etihad Stadium.
"I'm not inside Julian Alvarez's head," Simeone told reporters when asked about reports linking him with the Gunners.
"I understand it's normal that an extraordinary player like Julian Alvarez is wanted by Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona. It's normal because he's very good."
Atleti are looking to reach a fourth European final and their first since 2015-16, when they were beaten 5-3 on penalties by Real Madrid following a 1-1 draw in normal time.
Two of those successes were led by Simeone, though both ended in defeat to rivals Madrid, having also lost the showpiece match two years earlier 4-1 after extra-time.
Arsenal and Atleti are the two teams that have played the most matches in the history of the European Cup/Champions League without ever winning the trophy: 223 and 190 respectively.
The Champions League marks Atleti's last shot at silverware, having fallen out of the LaLiga title race as well as losing the Copa del Rey final earlier this month to Real Sociedad.
Simeone's side could endure a fifth trophyless campaign in 2025-26, though the Atleti boss was in no mood to look back on past failures in the Champions League.
"There's no pressure, there's a sense of responsibility, and there's a special sense of anticipation," Simeone added.
"At the end of the day, it's a football match and the players are the ones who decide the outcome. We have to prepare well.
"We want to play the game we've envisaged and take the match to a stage where we can cause Arsenal problems."
Asked whether the competition owed Atleti something after three final defeats, Simeone said: "We're all human. If you ask us, everyone has a different opinion.
"But a competition doesn't owe anyone anything. Things have to be earned and achieved. You have to work hard, go out and get them and hope Lady Luck is on your side."
Simeone will be hoping that home advantage will work in his team's favour ahead of the second leg at Emirates Stadium on May 5.
When playing at either the Vicente Calderon or the Metropolitano, Atleti have never lost at home to an English side in a Champions League knockout stage match (P6 W3 D3).
All six of those were against different teams (Chelsea, Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City & Tottenham).