Gyökeres offers himself to Barcelona as Álvarez chase runs into trouble

Barcelona's search for a new centre-forward is shaping up to be one of the most tangled transfer sagas of the winter window, with the Catalan giants finding themselves at the centre of two very different striker stories.

On one flank, the name of Arsenal frontman Viktor Gyökeres has emerged — almost out of the blue — as a prominent talking point in the media headlines surrounding the Blaugrana this week. Amid their ongoing search for reinforcements in the No. 9 role, it is understood that Barcelona have been offered the services of the Gunners' powerful forward.

According to a report from Barça insider Adria Sanchez, Gyökeres is 100% ready to make the move to Catalonia:

'Gyokeres is absolutely crazy about the idea of being able to join Barça. He has offered himself on several occasions and the club is considering it but not as a priority.'

The former Sporting CP standout, who established himself as one of Europe's most feared strikers before a big Premier League switch, is understood to be dreaming of a transfer to the Camp Nou. Yet sporting director Deco and his recruitment team are treating him as far from their priority target.

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Fresh twist in Julián Álvarez's future

It is no secret that Barcelona's real priority at centre-forward has been Atlético Madrid's Julián Álvarez. Yet that pursuit has hit a fresh and significant twist on Thursday evening, with the brass at the Metropolitano — all of a sudden — changing their stance as regards the potential sale of their star attacker.

As per a report from Mundo Deportivo, confirming information that was first gathered by AtleticoPlay:

'Following the Argentine striker's expressed desire, both publicly and our internally, to leave scrambled Atlético, the club's management has now been agreed to the possible enter into transfer negotiations.'

There is, however, one major caveat attached to this sudden change of heart, albeit a significant one ie: Atlético will under no circumstances open the door to Álvarez joining La Liga rivals Barcelona. Instead, the Rojiblancos are said to be ready to sit down with Premier League champions Arsenal, who retain a strong interest in bringing the 26-year-old back to England before the summer.

The situation is made odder still by the player's own stance. Álvarez has made it clear that he has no desire to link up with Mikel Arteta's Gunners, with Barcelona remaining his one and only desired landing spot. That gridlocks the two clubs in a standoff — Atlético refuse to sell to Barça, the striker refuses to go anywhere else.

With less than two weeks remaining in the transfer window, the picture behind the scenes in Spain's capital is set to get very messy indeed. Barcelona's options — a very willing Gyökeres on one side, an Álvarez who only wants Barça on the other, but whose club him simply refuse to sell — leave sporting director Deco with a delicate and unenviable decision to make before the deadline arrives.