Ex-Arsenal striker Jeremie Aliadiere believes Julian Alvarez would be a “great fit” for the Gunners if they manage to secure the Argentinian’s signature this summer.
The Telegraph claim that Mikel Arteta’s side “remain keen” on the Atletico Madrid star, and asked about the prospect of recruiting the World Cup winner by Aceodds.com, Aliadiere said:
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“Alvarez will be a great fit because he is that player, but can also play as a nine. He will go and press with a Martin Ødegaard next to him.”
“I want to see great players at the club, and he’s a top player and proven when he won the World Cup.”
Can Arsenal afford the forward?’
Reports in the Spanish media suggest that Atletico Madrid would want at least €100m (£87m) for Alvarez, which is not the type of fee that the Gunners can pay without player sales.
5 first-team stars are expected to be made available this summer, including Gabriel Martinelli, Ben White, Gabriel Jesus, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri.
Proceeds from their departures would help fund a bid for Alvarez, although there are also concerns that the player would prefer a move to Barcelona. The La Liga champions have made him a priority target, but it is doubtful that they can afford him.
What does this all mean for Gyokeres?
Aliadiere says he “wouldn’t get rid” of the Swedish international. He points to the fact that both Alvarez and Gyokeres have scored a similar number of goals this season (Alvarez has 19 goals in all competitions for Atletico, while Gyokeres has 18).
However, if Alvarez were to be signed, the writing would be on the wall for Gyokeres. The fact that he was dropped for the biggest game of the season against Manchester City in favour of Kai Havertz demonstrates that he has not lived up to expectations.
Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here