The crisis surrounding Julian Alvarez at Atletico Madrid is growing more complicated. His departure has come to look like the closest thing to a solution for ending the tension between both parties. Yet the road to Arsenal, seen as the most realistic exit, is fraught with obstacles that could make the deal almost impossible.
Atletico will not let Alvarez leave for less than 150 million euros. Arsenal, for all their financial muscle, are not in the habit of paying sums of that size to sign players from outside the English league.
Look at the English transfer market and a clear pattern emerges among the biggest clubs: they prefer domestic deals. Most of the highest-value transfers in recent years have taken place between Premier League clubs themselves. Financial and tax factors play their part too, making investment within the competition far more attractive.
Arsenal's problem runs deeper still. In recent years the club simply has not spent huge sums on players from abroad. Their largest outlay to sign a player from the Spanish league stands at just 70 million euros, and the record for the biggest deal by any English club for a player from Spain does not exceed 80 million euros.
Atletico, by contrast, want close to double that figure to give up the Argentine striker. That leaves Arsenal facing an exceptional financial decision if they want to get it done, particularly with other alternatives available in the striker market.
England's tax system makes the move to London harder again. Domestic deals between British clubs bring financial advantages that do not apply in the same way when signing a player from overseas. Handing Atletico 150 million euros looks a good deal less appealing on those terms.
So the equation is clear. Atletico want rid of the crisis. Alvarez wants a way out. Arsenal have the money. But the price on the table and the nature of the English market push a solution that looks logical on paper closer to the impossible.