Transfer market: How Julian Alvarez could trigger a striker swap between Man United, Atletico Madrid and Juventus

The closing stages of the transfer window could place Manchester United, Atletico Madrid and Juventus at the centre of a complex game of musical chairs involving centre-forwards.

Amid the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Julian Alvarez, the Spanish club have made contact with Juventus over the possibility of signing Jonathan David, while the two clubs are also negotiating over Alexander Sorloth. Behind the scenes, Juventus are also keeping alive the possibility of pursuing Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee.

According to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, Atletico Madrid have not yet submitted a formal offer for David. The initial contact served to understand the conditions of a potential deal.

The move comes precisely as the Spanish side try to manage Julian Alvarez's future, with the forward reportedly interested in a move to Barcelona, although Atletico Madrid have no intention of making his exit easy.

David could become part of a domino effect for Juventus with Zirkzee in the mix

Jonathan David joined Juventus on a free transfer after his contract with Lille expired, but despite being a highly promising talent a few years ago, he has yet to fully convince the club.

Following a below-par season and a World Cup in which he scored three goals, all in the same match against Qatar, the Canadian has made no secret of his desire to stay in Turin and fight for a place in the side.

The issue is financial. According to the newspaper, David earns around €6m (£5.15m) net per season, plus bonuses, making him one of the highest earners in the squad. A potential sale would represent pure profit for Juventus, given no transfer fee was paid for him, while also freeing up a significant chunk of the wage bill.

As a result, his departure could prove decisive for Luciano Spalletti's planning. The manager has also lost Kenan Yildiz to injury and needs alternatives in attack, an area that already includes the inconsistent Randal Kolo Muani. That is where Zirkzee comes in.

The Dutchman belongs to Manchester United and remains a possibility for Juventus, who have admired the forward since his time at Bologna and are considering a loan move.

The player does not necessarily match the physically imposing centre-forward profile Spalletti is looking for, but he could arrive without requiring a significant financial outlay.

At Atletico Madrid, Sorloth is the other side of the negotiation

While exploring David's situation, Juventus are also trying to resolve a separate deal with Atletico Madrid: Alexander Sorloth.

The Norwegian is valued at around €40m (£34m) by the Spanish side, a fee considered high by the Italians. At the same time, Atletico Madrid do not appear willing to make a major investment for David, having already spent more than £10 million this transfer window.

The Colchoneros have made four signings so far this window. They brought in Cristian Romero from Tottenham, Kang-in Lee from PSG, and Morten Hjulmand from Sporting, each for €40m (£34m). Alejandro Grimaldo arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for €25m (£19)

As a result, the possibility of a loan move for Zirkzee is gaining momentum. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, a scenario in which Atletico Madrid sign David on loan and cover his salary in full could create the financial space needed for Juventus to move forward with a deal for the Manchester United forward.

The puzzle also involves Nico Gonzalez, another player who has come up in discussions between the two clubs. Juventus, however, currently prefer to keep hold of the Argentinian, particularly given Kenan Yildiz's injury.

As a result, the Julian Alvarez situation could end up having consequences well beyond Madrid. If Atletico Madrid need to find an alternative in attack and Juventus decide to let David go, a series of moves could be triggered: David heading to Madrid, Sorloth moving to Turin, and Zirkzee arriving to work under Spalletti.

Everything, however, depends on the clubs finding a financial formula that makes these deals viable.