Arsenal continue to weigh up the possibility of signing Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez in the summer, with Mikel Arteta keen on adding serious firepower to his ranks ahead of next season.
The Gunners are enjoying an excellent campaign and remain alive on all four fronts. They sit nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table, are into the last eight of the Champions League, the last eight of the FA Cup, and they have a Carabao Cup final to look forward to this weekend.
Despite being on the precipice of a historic season, Arteta and Andrea Berta are already thinking about next term and how they can sustain their dominance at the top. They have identified Alvarez as a potential marquee addition, and are actively monitoring the Argentine’s situation ahead of a possible summer move.
READ MORE: Arsenal vs Man City: Should Kai Havertz or Viktor Gyokeres start the Carabao Cup final?
Arsenal scouted Julian Alvarez in Champions League this week
Alvarez refused to rule out a departure from Atletico Madrid in the summer when quizzed about his future last week.
Speaking to the media following Diego Simeon’s team’s first leg against Tottenham Hotspur, the forward said that while he is happy in the Spanish capital, he doesn’t know if he’ll still be there next season.
“I don’t know, I don’t know, but maybe yes, maybe no. You never know,” he stated.
Reports indicate that the World Cup winner is interested in a move to Barcelona, although it’s not yet clear whether the Catalan club have the financial resources to pull off such an audacious deal. Fabrizio Romano believes a potential switch to the Premier League is on the cards for Alvarez, and TEAMtalk confirmed on Thursday morning that Arsenal and Chelsea are definitely among the English clubs in the race to land the player.
In fact, the two London sides sent scouts to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to observe Alvarez on Wednesday night. The 26-year-old scored a sensational goal in North London, helping his team overcome Arsenal’s arch rivals in the Champions League round of 16.
Atletico won the tie 7-5 on aggregate, with Alvarez putting in two exceptional performances in the process. The Argentina international demonstrated his immense technical quality, while also showcasing how effective he is at leading a press.
Arsenal’s scouts would have been left impressed with what they saw, potentially increasing the Gunners’ chances of making a move for him.
Who makes way for Julian Alvarez if he joins Arsenal?
If Alvarez were to swap Madrid for North London, then someone would have to make way. The former Manchester City man will expect to play almost every minute at the Emirates, given his pedigree and given the fee Arsenal would have to fork out to sign him.
Gabriel Jesus is already likely to leave in the summer, with the Brazilian reportedly eyeing a move to Italy. However, even with Jesus’ departure, Arsenal may need to sanction a further sale to make space for Alvarez.
| Club | Matches | Goals | Assists |
| River Plate | 122 | 54 | 31 |
| Manchester City | 103 | 36 | 19 |
| Atletico Madrid | 100 | 46 | 15 |
| Argentina | 49 | 13 | 4 |
It’s hard to envisage a world where Arteta has the Atletico man, Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres on his books, and all three are content. One of Havertz or Gyokeres may have to leave.
It’ll ultimately depend on how the Arsenal medical team assess the German’s current physical level. If their verdict is that there’s no reason to believe he’ll continue to have recurring injury issues, then he’ll likely stay, as he may actually prove to be a complimentary piece to Alvarez.
If there are medical concerns, then the Gunners may opt to cash in on Havertz while they can.
