Arsenal might let go of two key players to sign Julian Alvarez before the deadline.
Arsenal might use two of their key players to help sign Atletico Madrid’s forward, Julian Alvarez. The Argentine striker has made it clear he wants to leave Atletico this summer. In fact, he was even booed by fans during their recent 2-2 draw with Villarreal, adding to the talks about his future.
Alvarez dreams of moving to Barcelona to keep playing in LaLiga, but Atletico has already said no to that idea. They made a strong statement saying there’s “zero chance” he’ll go to Camp Nou, even though Barcelona’s president Joan Laporta said they want to make a deal.
Now, Arsenal is the main club interested in signing Alvarez. But it won’t be cheap—Atletico want about £128 million, and some reports say Arsenal might be ready to pay that. The tricky part is agreeing on Alvarez’s personal terms.
One advantage for Arsenal is that Atletico is also looking to sign new attackers. Reports suggest Arsenal could offer a swap deal involving Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus to help with the transfer. Both players are said to be appealing to Atletico, and including Gyokeres plus some cash could make the deal much easier.
Alvarez also likes the idea of playing in his preferred position at Arsenal, unlike at Atletico where Diego Simeone used him differently. That’s a plus for Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager.
Gyokeres, a Swedish striker who joined Arsenal last summer for up to £64 million, has had mixed opinions from fans. He scored 21 goals last season but some feel he may not fit perfectly with Arteta’s style. In a recent game, Arteta started with Kai Havertz instead of Gyokeres, and Havertz scored.
Gabriel Jesus, meanwhile, has struggled with injuries and playing time. He rejected a move to Napoli in Italy and seems ready to look for a new club. Martinelli, another Arsenal player, is also close to leaving. He might be sold to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia for around £50 million. Martinelli originally wanted to stay but after talks with Arteta about his role, he’s now more open to moving.
So, Arsenal could use Gyokeres and Jesus plus cash to try and bring in their top target, Alvarez, who’s eager for a fresh start.