Julian Alvarez was always going to have his say against Arsenal, wasn't he?
The script writers would have it no other way as the Gunners travelled to face Atletico Madrid in a tussle that many dubbed the battle of the dark arts.
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Neither Viktor Gyokeres nor the South American star blinked from the spot, as if they were enjoying their own battle of wits. But if that was an audition for Alvarez ahead of a possible big-money move to the Emirates, then he might have just earned a trip to the judges' houses.
Alvarez passes Arsenal audition on the biggest stage
Whilst no one's slamming the golden buzzer just yet, Alvarez certainly showed enough glimpses of what he can offer Arsenal if they make their move this summer. Every ounce of Atletico Madrid's attack went through the South American, whether it was scraps or serious attempts to damage the North London giants.
What made the forward more impressive is that it was often the scraps that he was forced to work with. His best chance in the first-half came as a result of his own excellence, finding space before threatening to find David Raya's top corner.
That moment was a mere preview for Alvarez's second-half display. It was a warning sign when he almost struck Raya's top corner in the first half, before hitting the side-netting with a free-kick in the early stages of the second. When he then stepped up to the spot, there would be only one result.
The question that Arsenal must face is whether Gyokeres makes the same impact. Does their attack run through their No.9? If it doesn't, is that the problem?
If the answer is a resounding yes, then it may not just be the Swede who will be finished by the potential arrival of Alvarez this summer.
Alvarez arrival bad news for £45m Arsenal star
When comparing Alvarez and the current Arsenal squad, the Argentine is a 99 with a flake from the expensive ice-cream man and that makes Gabriel Jesus the freezer Choc Ice.
Now, whilst some will be quick to point out that the Gunners have ice-cream at home, the upgrade is clear.
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Alvarez is worth splashing out on this summer. He would finally solve Mikel Arteta's frustrating striker problem. Jesus' Arsenal career, meanwhile, would be left to melt away.
Arsenal legend Ray Parlour once claimed that Jesus is a "bit like Henry", but that was back in 2022. It was before the injury problems and before the Brazilian tumbled down the pecking order to the point that one more arrival would likely end his time at The Emirates.
Signing Alvarez would be the closest that Arsenal could get to finding a player of the same level, if not better, than Jesus when he first arrived and threatened to transform the club's frontline.
At their peaks, both have that unique ability to act as goalscorers and link play at an excellent level. The same simply cannot be said for Gyokeres.
League stats Jesus 22/23 Alvarez 25/26
Minutes 2,074 1,902
Goals 11 8
Assists 6 4
XG 14.11 7.72
Chances created 31 47
If Arteta could travel back in time to 2022, then he would likely decide to bring Jesus into the present-day Arsenal side. Thanks to the laws of physics, however, the Spaniard will have to settle for Alvarez this summer.
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Four years on from spending £45m to sign Jesus, Arsenal have the chance to replace the Brazilian with the player that would thrive where too many others have failed in North London.
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