Last summer, Arsenal's new recruitment chief Andrea Berta had the huge task on his hands of improving the club's forward line.
After a season in which they had to rely on Mikel Merino to play up top for large parts, a seasoned centre-forward was urgently required.
Mikel-Merino-Arsenal
Benjamin Sesko was looked at rather intently, but it was Viktor Gyokeres whom the Gunners ended up with. While neither have set the world alight since moving to England, Gyokeres has, at least, scored 18 times this term.
He is Arsenal's top scorer but after a weekend where Arsenal were made to bemoan a host of missed opportunities against Man City, subsequently loosening their grip on the Premier League title, a new striker must be on their agenda again this summer.
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Last summer we witnessed a transfer merry-go-round of strikers. Arsenal missed out on Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike who ended up at Liverpool, while Joao Pedro moved to Chelsea and Sesko headed to Manchester United.
Big striker moves in summer 2025 transfer window (timeless)
In Gyokeres, Mikel Arteta and Co were pleased with the addition. After all, this is a player who scored 54 goals in 52 matches last season.
Sadly, despite topping the scoring charts at the Emirates since moving, the Swede hasn't really convinced many that he is a long-term option at the top end of the pitch.
Arsenal's top scorers in the Premier League
Player
Gyokeres
Eze
Saka
Zubimendi
Trossard
Rice
Merino
Timber
Gabriel
As a result, murmours of a move for Julian Alvarez have emerged with David Ornstein revealing last week that the Argentine is someone the Gunners have had their eye on.
The latest on their chase of the Atletico Madrid forward comes courtesy of reports on the continent, via Sport Witness, which speak of a possible move away from Madrid to one of Europe's heavyweights.
julian-alvarez-atletico-madrid
The report notes that Alvarez has 'three strong offers to make a move this summer' with Barcelona, PSG and Arsenal all at the table.
It is further revealed that Arsenal are 'a tempting club' but the former Manchester City attacker has no great desire to return to England at the moment.
He won't come cheap with previous reports outlining a potential £104m price tag.
How Alvarez compares to Kai Havertz
Arsenal's only goal against City on Sunday afternoon came from Kai Havertz, although it was not in a conventional way.
In a bid to press Gianluigi Donnarumma, the German intercepted the ball and it cannoned into the back of the net. When he did get a conventional chance, it did not end well.
While Havertz's general play was very good at the Etihad, the most important bit, putting the ball in the back of the net, eluded him for large parts of the game.
In truth, the £65m signing should have had a hat-trick. He missed three big chances, including a last-gasp header from a matter of yards out. Leandro Trossard delivered a beautiful ball in from the right that was frankly begging to be buried, but Havertz headed over. With that, the title may well be City's.
Arsenal-Havertz
While Arsenal's main problem this season has been creating goals, rather than scoring them, the acquisition of a player like Alvarez would go a long way to improving their forward play.
While Gyokeres is a ruthless goalscorer, he lacks the hold-up play to bring others into the game, something that has been a really important part of the way Arsenal build-up in forward areas. In contrast, Havertz struggles to finish chances but is brilliant at knitting attacks together and holding onto possession.
However, in Alvarez, they could get the best of both worlds. Since heading to Atletico, he has proven himself to be one of the best in the world. Hailed as a "monster" by by Argentine journalist Pablo Gonzalez, he has netted 48 goals in 204 matches for Atleti, 19 of which have come in 2025/26.
He's a better goalscorer than Havertz, but he would be able to come short as the German does. Indeed, the prime example of this came during Argentina's voyage to World Cup glory in 2022. When Alvarez was selected as the lone 9, Lionel Messi's lack of defensive ability meant it was the former Man City man who dropped deep to help defend and offer an extra body out of possession.
FFC fact of the day: Julian Alvarez has played in 10 finals but has only ever lost two, the 2019 Sudamericano and 2026 Copa del Rey.
While Arsenal's collective defensive efforts are fairly divided up, it's a role that mimics Havertz's at Arsenal. He doesn't play on the last shoulder but will hold things up and come short to collect the ball and help defend.
That's not to say he isn't active where it matters, though.
Alvarez vs Havertz: 2025/26 league stats
Stats (per 90 mins)
Goals
Shots
Shot accuracy
Conversion rate
Assists
Chances created
Lay-offs completed
Take-ons completed
Duels won
In most of the metrics that you would judge a centre-forward on, it's a resounding win for Alvarez, who is only really significantly better in the duels department. That is no surprise considering Havertz's size.
What he lacks in stature, however, Alvarez more than makes up for it in technical ability. At times this season, it's felt as though the technical quality of this Arsenal side has diminished, particularly with Gyokeres leading the line.
atletico-madrid-alvarez
Yet, in Atleti's World Cup winner, they'd be signing someone who possesses quality in abundance.
He's capable of the spectacular, a regular scorer of goals and will bring others into play. When you look at strikers around the globe who could be available, none suit Arsenal just as much as they do Alvarez.
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