Arsenal are reportedly eyeing two superstar players as they look to end the summer transfer window on a high note. The Gunners sent out a message to the rest of the Premier League by beating Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield at the weekend, clinching their first trophy of the 2026/27 campaign.
Arsenal's plan for £206m duo
Arsenal are reportedly waiting until late in the window to see if it would be possible to sign one of their top targets. There has been plenty of noise surrounding Arteta's pursuit of a world class forward this summer, having initially wanted to sign Morgan Rogers and then Vinicius Junior but ultimately failing in both efforts.
But The Athletic reports that while there has been a notable focus on the left wing, there is some flexibility around the position the Gunners' next big signing will play, depending on which of their key forward targets becomes available.
Their two main long-term targets still available, albeit on hefty transfer fees, are Kenan Yildiz of Juventus and Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid. The former recently signed a contract extension and is reportedly priced at around £86m, while Alvarez could cost north of £120m.
Atletico's Julian Alvarez decision
Atletico manager Diego Simeone announced that Alvarez will not feature in his side's La Liga opener against Malaga on Wednesday night due to a lack of fitness. The 26-year-old has repeatedly been linked with an exit this summer, with Barcelona and Arsenal being the two most prominent clubs interested in his signature.
When asked if Alvarez could feature, via Marca, Simeone said: "I still think the same way. I take care of the sporting side. We've been talking as we always do. From a sporting perspective, we need more training sessions with him so he can improve. He's one of the best attacking players... if not the best."
Alvarez was granted an extended break after making it to the final of the World Cup with Argentina. Reporters throughout the recent press conference continued to quiz Simeone about Alvarez's future and Atletico's legal dispute against Barcelona regarding the player. However, the Argentine boss was clear that his star striker is not for sale.
He said: "I think if the club owner spoke so bluntly about what he said, that's all there is to it, it's more than clear. This is like when you go to court... there's nothing more to it. We take care of the person and the player, we understand that he's not in condition to play in this match."
