During their search for a striker, Arsenal are considering a possible deal for Julian Alvarez. Two legendary players from the Premier League support the Argentine forward’s credibility. The Gunners have had a consistent, but not great, season, failing to win a trophy for the fifth year in a row.
Arsenal has not won a trophy since winning the Community Shield and the FA Cup in the 2019/20 season. During this time, Chelsea, Manchester United, and even their bitter rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, have won major honors.
Head coach Mikel Arteta has been given time to rebuilt the club and has now guided Arsenal to three consecutive second-place finishes in the Premier League – only being bested by Pep Guardiola’s indomitable Manchester City team and Arne Slot’s impressive Liverpool.
Many have attributed Arsenal’s lack of league title success to their attacking options, and Arteta has received plenty of criticism for not signing an out-and-out number nine to lead the line.
The Spaniard appears to be attempting to alter this narrative for the 2025/26 season by adding striking options to the north London team during the summer transfer window. Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres has been linked over the last few months, with the formidable striker reportedly on the market for £60million.
Reports in Portugal claimed the Gunners had entered talks with Gyokeres’ agent this week, as representatives headed to Lisbon to discuss a potential deal.
However, the Swede could be snubbed in favour of a former Premier League star who has already proven his worth to Arteta’s ex-mentor, Guardiola.
Alvarez, a striker for Atletico Madrid, is said to be on Arsenal’s shortlist of strikers. His former City teammate Bernardo Silva highly recommends him. In 2023, the attacking midfielder praised Alvarez following City’s 3-2 Champions League victory over RB Leipzig, in which the Argentine scored the winning goal that earned City top spot in the group.
Discussing Alvarez’s impact, Silva said: “If Erling Haaland is not present, we’re not going to say that it is not important and we’re not going to miss him because of course, we’re going to miss him.
“However, Julian Alvarez, who plays striker for us, is a top-notch striker. Therefore, we will not assert that the team will present a poor image. Obviously, we miss all of our injured players, but our job is to find solutions and do our best with the players we currently have. In this case, you are talking about Erling and of course, we miss him.”
Silva remarked on the void that the young striker had left in the team after Alvarez left City for Madrid for £81 million last summer. Speaking of the 2022 World Cup winner, he said: “I miss him a lot because he is an exceptional team-mate and I am very fond of him. I’m glad to hear he’s doing well. He is a wonderful guy, and he deserves everything.
“I’m very happy for Julián whenever I see him score a goal; he’s doing very well. Atlético de Madrid is having a very good season. I am very happy for him.”
Since moving to Atletico, Alvarez has scored 29 goals and assisted seven times in 54 appearances. However, he has yet to secure any silverware in Spain, thanks to the giants of Real Madrid and Barcelona ruling the roost.
Thierry Henry, a legendary Arsenal player, told the Stick to Football podcast that he was concerned about the possibility of signing Alvarez. Henry said that Alvarez had saved the Premier League in previous seasons. He said: “If you look at all the teams recently that have been winning big things, more often than not, ok you can look at the front three and look at the team, but look at who is on the bench.
“How many times a guy coming from the bench saved the season. Haaland went eight games without scoring last season, I believe. Julian Alvarez, bang, bang, bang. Riyadh Mahrez before, bang, bang, bang. Scoring goals.
“After who scored the most, Haaland, when he wasn’t scoring or he wasn’t there or he was injured, Julian Alvarez, boom, goal. Riyadh Mahrez, boom, goal.”
When asked about his favourite options for striker right now, Henry added: “One of my favourite nines out there at the moment is Julian Alvarez. We’ve been discussing it, applying pressure, playing it long, or doing whatever you want.
“Did you see the free kick he scored the other day? He can hold the ball long. He played at the Olympic games. He played the Copa America. He doesn’t say he’s tired; he’s played everything, so let’s hope nothing bad happens to him. And the way he plays it, I just like him. Is it conceivable? I don’t know.”
Whether Arteta chooses to bring Liga Portugal champion Gyokeres or Treble-winner Alvarez to north London, Arsenal fans will be ecstatic either way to add an attacker to the side that could bring them the long-awaited Premier League title.