REUTERS/Andrew Boyers
Arsenal made a late approach to try and sign Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez to bolster their forward line in the summer transfer window.
The Gunners made attacking additions a priority in the window after winning the Premier League and reaching the Champions League final, but the window ended in disappointment when there was no marquee name added to the squad list before the deadline passed.
That was despite the club eyeing mega-money deals for Morgan Rogers, before he joined Chelsea; Vinicius Jr, before he signed a new contract at Real Madrid; and Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid.
The Argentine international was a top target for Mikel Arteta throughout the window, but Alvarez was desperate to join Barcelona instead. However, they had a €100m bid rejected, and Atletico Madrid flat-out refused to sell to them after growing annoyed at their attempts to force a move in public.
Arsenal continued to pursue a deal until the last minute, but a report by the Daily Mail claims that the north London club knew there was no chance of a move over the final weekend of the window, which saw them begin to look at late alternatives.
One of those was Inter Milan star Lautaro Martinez, Alvarez's Argentina teammate, and a three-time Serie A champion.
Arteta's assistant Gabriel Heinze, a former Argentina international himself, reached out to the player and to Arsenal reached out to Inter to see if a deal was possible. They were met with a swift refusal to enter negotiations, with the 29-year-old still having three years remaining on his contract at the San Siro, where he is captain.
Arsenal were clearly looking for a new first-choice number 9, and that has shown with Viktor Gyokeres not featuring for a single minute in the opening two Premier League games of the campaign, falling behind Kai Havertz in the pecking order.
Alvarez has been the top target for a while, but Martinez would be the main man at any club he went to, and it's evident that he would have been an even better option than the former Man City star.
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Fees correct prior to summer 2026
Julian Alvarez Lautaro Martinez comparison
Martinez Would Be Alvarez Upgrade
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Martinez has been one of the most reliable goalscorers in Europe for several seasons at Inter, with 175 goals in 378 appearances for the Italian giants, and 22 or more goals in each of the last five campaigns.
Last season, Gyokeres was Arsenal's top scorer with 21 goals in all competitions, which included 14 in the Premier League. By comparison, Martinez has scored 17 or more league goals in Serie A in five of the last six seasons. Alvarez, meanwhile, has managed double figures for goals just twice in his career since moving to Europe.
A move for Martinez would have matched with the plan to win now, and fits the same age profile as the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa.
It would have been a brilliant move, and a major upgrade on Alvarez. Now it's one to keep an eye on in January just in case.