Arsenal could revisit moves for Julian Alvarez and Vinicius Junior when the transfer window reopens in January, according to reports, after failing to land either player during the summer.
The reigning Premier League champions ended their summer business in muted fashion compared with some domestic rivals. Sporting director Andrea Berta added five signings for a total outlay of £200million, including a permanent deal for Piero Hincapie, a free transfer for Illan Meslier, and the arrivals of Christos Tzolis, Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa.
However, as the deadline approached, it became increasingly apparent that Arsenal would fail to land the elite attacking talent Arteta had pursued throughout the summer. The exits of key forwards Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have left the attacking department short-handed.
January transfer plan hatched
Beyond their failure to secure Morgan Rogers, Arsenal also came up short in their ambitious pursuits of Vinicius Junior and Julian Alvarez. Both players stayed at their respective clubs for differing reasons.
Vinicius, who had reportedly agreed personal terms with Arsenal, signed an improved deal at Real Madrid after the Spanish giants deemed the Brazilian too valuable to lose. Alvarez, meanwhile, faced a straight choice between remaining at Atletico or joining Arsenal, and chose to stay, his dream move to Barcelona having already been blocked by the club.
Nevertheless, it is reported by The Independent that Arsenal could revisit both Alvarez and Vinicius when the transfer window reopens in January. The Gunners are said to be prepared to do business in the new year should Arteta once again find himself short of attacking options through injury, with the duo's circumstances potentially having shifted enough to make a move to north London an attractive proposition.
The report also indicates that Bournemouth youngster Eli Junior Kroupi will "almost certainly" be under consideration. Arsenal were said to be eager to secure the forward, whose goal against Manchester City handed them the title last season, before he sustained an injury during pre-season.
Arteta 'unhappy' with window
Ian Wright reckons Arteta will be disappointed with how the transfer window panned out. The Arsenal icon pointed to the Gunners' inability to secure a marquee forward as the primary concern, particularly highlighting Morgan Rogers' switch to Chelsea as a source of annoyance.
Wright remarked on the Stick to Football podcast: "It's not a disastrous window but if I'm Mikel, I wouldn't be happy with how this window has gone simply because we've gone another window where we have not got that forward."
"Mikel has talked about getting players to take us to that level, he did it again after Paris (Champions League final), where we didn't have that player to break them. That is the player Mikel wanted. They chased Vini until the end of the earth and left Morgan Rogers dangling."
Gary Neville argued during the programme that Arsenal had no need for Rogers, but Wright maintained Arteta would have viewed him as integral to his plans. He continued: "I think we did need Rogers. You say we have got those types of players but that is what Mikel wanted. It is a position where we need that player. Of course Saka is back, Odegaard is back, Havertz is back and playing together, but he wanted that difference-maker. He [Rogers] is the one we were linked with ages ago and he would have loved to have come, I can feel it."
