Arsenal have been linked with a huge summer swap deal which could land them one of their biggest transfer targets.
Arsenal may be champions of England at last, but there’s an awareness around the club that they’ll need reinforcements in the transfer market if they’re to turn winning trophies into a habit – and the addition of a fresh face up front is a key priority.
Atlético Madrid’s Julián Alvarez has been at the top of their shortlist for months but with his current employers keen to keep hold of the Argentina international, finding a starting point for negotiations hasn’t been easy. New reports, however, suggest that a swap deal could be an idea which paves the way for a blockbuster summer transfer.
The sensational swap deal which could send Julián Alvarez to Arsenal
A new story from TEAMtalk suggests that while Atlético still intend to fight to keep hold of Alvarez, they are open to discussing a part-exchange deal which would land them a player as well as cash to create a package worth at least £100m – and Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli could be a strong enough makeweight to get a deal over the line.
The Brazilian winger has become a fringe player this season as his inconsistent form continues and, with just one year left on his current contract, it’s expected that the Gunners will be looking for prospective buyers. Atlético are among sides alleged to be long-term admirers, which could make a swap deal more appealing to them.
Alvarez is said not to have made a decision yet on his future but there is every chance that he could be lured away – and Arsenal have made little secret of their interest. If the former Manchester City forward decided to force the issue, Atlético may be compelled to accept that negotiating a suitably substantial deal would be in their best interests.
According to the fresh report, Arsenal aren’t the only team who could test the waters with a part-exchange deal. PSG, their opponents in next weekend’s Champions League final, are also keen and could offer unwanted centre-forward Gonçalo Ramos as part of their offer. Whether that’s more appealing than Martinelli is unclear, but it’s certainly a straighter swap in terms of position.
Barcelona are another side that would like to sign Alvarez, but their ongoing financial problems preclude a deal in the £100m range, and unless something significant changes it’s likely that the forward has three options: London, Paris, or remaining in Madrid.
With both Arsenal and PSG able to offer extremely substantial salaries and at the top of their respective divisions this season, Alvarez’s choice will boil down to personal preference – and Atlético’s own thoughts about the offers lodged by either side.
All that can be said for certain at this stage is that Arsenal are highly interested in Alvarez and will make a move if they believe that the opportunity is there. Whether the odds on a deal being done are good or not is known only by those working behind the scenes.
Why swapping Alvarez for Martinelli makes perfect sense for Arsenal
In showing interest in Alvarez, Arsenal are suggesting a subtle change in their attacking set-up – although a relatively prolific striker who has scored 20 goals in 49 matches this season, he remains more of a second striker, a supporting act, rather than a true number nine. It’s likely that Arsenal view him as a complement to Viktor Gyökeres rather than a replacement.
That hints at Alvarez taking the number 10 role, although it’s plausible that he is also given opportunities on the left flank, where he could operate in a narrower role than that typically played by Martinelli. Either way, he adds a combination of creative and technical quality and finishing prowess that should make Arsenal more dangerous in the final third.
Unable to nail down a regular role in Pep Guardiola’s system at the Etihad due to the domineering presence of Erling Haaland, Alvarez still proved to be a reliable source of goals and has been even more productive in Spain, scoring 29 times in his first season and adding 17 assists since he was signed. At this point in his career, the Argentine is a proven scorer and creator, something Arsenal could use given how often they have been forced to lean on their defence to win matches over the past year.
However Mikel Arteta believes he would use Alvarez, Martinelli’s own departure looks inevitable anyway. With just one year left on his contract, the Gunners must either extend his deal or sell him, and the latter looks more likely given that he made just 10 league starts – scoring just one goal – this season.
Since bursting into the first team with pace, flair and plenty of goals back in the 2022/23 season, Martinelli has struggled to live up the hype his early performances generated. Using him as a makeweight in a deal for a player who could make a more substantive difference up front – and who would almost certainly score more goals – is a logical next step for Arsenal to take.
Whatever happens with negotiations for Alvarez – and there are many barriers for Arsenal to cross before they can strike a deal – Martinelli is liable to leave, and a part-exchange deal would serve to kill two birds with one stone, while the need to sign a new left winger would exist regardless.
However accurate TEAMtalk’s story proves to be, it does at least reflect Arsenal’s needs and desires in the summer transfer window, and if they can beat PSG to a huge deal then it might be one of the biggest coups of the off-season.
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