Arsenal are in talks to sign Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid in a blockbuster summer transfer, with the Argentinian forward desperate to leave the Spanish club. The Gunners would make the 26-year-old their record signing if they meet Atletico's £128million asking price.
Alvarez prefers Barcelona switch
Questions remain over the former Manchester City man's desire to return to England and the Premier League, as he prefers a move to Barcelona instead. Atletico, however, are blocking any transfer to a league rival.
Arsenal are also looking to add reinforcements in wide areas, with Gabriel Martinelli expected to follow Leandro Trossard out of the club.
Debate over Alvarez's fit at Arsenal
Julian Alvarez would essentially be an upgrade on Kai Havertz, who regularly plays up front for the Gunners as a false nine. He is a very different type of player to Viktor Gyokeres and would arguably suit Arsenal's system better than the Swede.
Alvarez has managed at least 30 goal contributions in each of his last four seasons, which no current Arsenal player can match. He is also a born winner, having lifted virtually every major trophy apart from La Liga and the Spanish Cup despite being just 26.
A move for Alvarez wouldn't solve Arsenal's left-wing problem, but it would give them a truly world-class attacker who can lead by example in their quest for further silverware. If a deal can be done in the final days of the window, they should be all over it.
Squad depth and Champions League push
Arsenal have been amassing quality that they haven't necessarily needed in recent years and it's proven to be a successful transfer strategy. They didn't need Eberechi Eze, nor did they need Ezri Konsa or Piero Hincapie, but Mikel Arteta is building a group capable of competing on all fronts.
Adding Julian Alvarez to an already stacked attacking department could be the move that finally gets them over the line in the Champions League. After the disappointment of not signing Vini Jr, Arsenal landing Alvarez before deadline day would cap off a sensational summer for the Gunners.
With Alvarez, they would be able to take their forward line to the next level, while also solving the issue surrounding their striker situation, which has been a problem for some time now.
