At a Glance:
- Arsenal have been heavily linked with a move for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez.
- If the Gunners were to sign the Argentine, a striker would likely have to make way.
- Kai Havertz has commented on this speculation.
Kai Havertz has broken his silence on speculation over his Arsenal future, following reports that Andrea Berta is targeting Julian Alvarez this summer.
Viktor Gyokeres has endured a difficult opening campaign at the Emirates, despite scoring 16 goals across all competitions, and the Gunners are therefore contemplating dipping into the striker market once again. Alvarez has been earmarked as a potential marquee acquisition, although a deal for the Argentine would be expensive and complicated.
If the Atletico Madrid striker were to make his way to North London, that would leave the North London club with an excess of centre-forwards, and thus, someone would likely need to make way.
Kai Havertz comments on Arsenal future
Gabriel Jesus is expected to leave Arsenal this summer, with the Brazilian clearly surplus to requirements. Since January, the former Manchester City striker has started just two games, both of which came in the FA Cup against League One sides.
While Jesus’ likely departure could create room for Alvarez to come in, the centre-forward position would still be overcrowded with Havertz and Gyokeres in the mix. Thus, it’s very plausible that Berta would have to sanction the sale of either the German or the Swede to create space for Alvarez.
Given that Gyokeres only arrived last summer, and for a substantial fee, Havertz is more likely to find himself on the chopping block. However, speaking to the German media before Die Mannschaft’s game against Swizerland on Friday, the ex-Chelsea man dismissed talk of him departing N5.
“I haven’t heard anything about that [an exit], and I haven’t read anything about it either,” he said.
“I feel right at home at Arsenal. I think everyone there is also very, very happy with me. Sure, it wasn’t a very easy season, but I definitely see my future at Arsenal, in London.”
Havertz was disappointing in Arsenal’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City on Sunday. That said, this was just his sixth start in an injury-ridden campaign, and Arteta will need to continue to show faith in him to maximise the player’s output before the end of the season.
Viktor Gyokeres should make way for Julian Alvarez
If Arsenal have the opportunity to sign Alvarez, then they should pounce on it. There are few attackers of the World Cup winner’s calibre who will be available on the market, and he’d significantly elevate the level of the Gunners’ attack.
If that means selling Gyokeres or Havertz, then so be it. That being said, if Berta receives offers for both strikers, then he should cash in on the Sweden international over the Germany star.
| Statistical Comparison 2025/26 (League Only) | ||
| Stat | Gyokeres | Alvarez |
| Appearances | 29 | 29 |
| Goals | 11 | 8 |
| Assists | 0 | 4 |
| Shots per 90 | 2.04 | 2.56 |
| Non-Penalty Expected Goals per 90 | 0.37 | 0.25 |
| Key Passes per 90 | 0.76 | 2.22 |
| Expected Assists per 90 | 0.08 | 0.24 |
| Successful Dribbles per 90 | 0.28 | 1.23 |
Gyokeres may have only been plying his trade in North London for eight months, but his inconsistent performance levels and lack of technical quality clearly show that he’s not at Havertz’s level in almost every aspect of the game.
If Arteta has both Alvarez and Havertz at his disposal, all of a sudden, he has the perfect balance of strikers available. He can deploy them together, or he can use either one of them, depending on the opposition and game state.
