Arsenal have blown Premier League rivals Liverpool away as they push to complete a major statement summer signing for Mikel Arteta.
It has been a quiet first month of the transfer window for Arsenal, but now the Premier League champions appear to be working overtime to bring new players in ahead of the new season as they look to retain their league title, as well as attempting to go one step further in the Champions League by getting to the final and winning it.
Piero Hincapie has already completed a permanent move to the Emirates as expected, and he has been joined in north London by free-agent goalkeeper Illan Meslier, who will currently act as a back-up option to David Raya and Kepa Arrizabalaga between the sticks.
The Gunners are working on bigger-money signings now, with a deal worth around £34m now agreed with Club Brugge to sign winger Christos Tzolis.
GIVEMESPORT sources have also revealed that Arsenal are set to launch their first bid to sign Aston Villa and England star Morgan Rogers, who will be returning home following the third-place playoff match against France on Saturday night.
A separate report has claimed that the offer could be worth £105m, with the 23-year-old confirmed as the club's top transfer target in attack.
Arsenal are looking at other attacking options too, though.
Arsenal Lead Premier League Race to Sign Julian Alvarez
Argentina's Julian AlvarezRodrigo Valle via Reuters
It has been an eventful summer for the Argentina international, who will represent his nation in the 2026 World Cup final against Spain on Sunday night in New Jersey.
The world-class 26-year-old has also made it clear he wants to explore opportunities away from Atletico Madrid this summer, having attracted bids from both Barcelona and Real Madrid for his services, with the latter seeing a £130m bid rejected last month.
Atletico continue to claim that their star attacker is going nowhere, but Football Insider claim that Arsenal are ahead of Liverpool in the race to land their 'dream' signing, with Barcelona expected to make a fresh bid for his services following the conclusion of the World Cup.
Alvarez has been quite quiet in the World Cup, but he scored 20 goals and assisted 10 more in 52 appearances in all competitions for Atleti last term, catapulting him to the top of many top European clubs' transfer wishlist.
Fees correct prior to summer 2026
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Arsenal Deal Another Transfer Blow to Liverpool
Bradley Barcolavia Reuters
Liverpool have been dealt another transfer blow with a report suggesting that their top target to replace Mohamed Salah actually prefers a move to London instead.
Because of that, the France international would prefer to join Arsenal instead of Liverpool if Paris Saint-Germain sanction his sale, although the north Londoners are currently focusing on Rogers as their top left-sided attacking target.
Should a move for the Englishman fail, then it could be a straight head-to-head battle between Arsenal and Liverpool for Barcola, who could become one of the most in-demand forwards in Europe if PSG give the green light for a summer exit with contract talks currently stalling.