Arsenal and Mikel Arteta need to rely on one player to lead the line next season
04:30, 13 May 2026
Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz could start together for Arsenal against Everton
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Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz have both endured their struggles for Arsenal this season(Image: Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty Images)
Viktor Gyokeres’ transformation in an Arsenal shirt over the past two weeks has been astonishing.
With the discussion surrounding whether the Gunners spent £55million wisely on Gyokeres last summer rambling on for much of the season, Mikel Arteta’s decision to sign the striker has only recently been vindicated. The Swede has come good at the most pivotal point in the campaign, scoring a brace against Fulham, netting a penalty against Atletico Madrid away from home and delivering his most impressive performance in an Arsenal shirt yet in the return leg.
If Arsenal end up winning the Premier League or the Champions League, Gyokeres will rightly be remembered for his contributions. But for all of his relentless jostling with defenders and running the channels, another striker on the pitch effortlessly stood out in the Champions League semi-final tie.
Pivotal to almost everything positive Diego Simeone’s side produced in the first leg was Julian Alvarez. The Argentine, as he has done to other teams all season long, gave Arsenal’s usually imperious defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba a headache throughout the affair.
After rattling the crossbar in their meeting earlier in the season, he continually tested David Raya at the Metropolitano Stadium and scored the spot-kick to cancel out Gyokeres’ own emphatic penalty. He led his team with six shots attempted and three chances created, while he trailed only Samuel Lino in successful take-ons.
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Alvarez was a handful with his movement in the pockets and a constant threat thanks to his eye for goal. It was the perfect all-round performance many associate with a traditional Arsenal striker.
The Gunners were fortunate that the 26-year-old’s ankle injury hampered him for much of the second leg before he was substituted off in the second half, nullifying Atletico’s offensive threat. He showed exactly why he is a World Cup and treble winner - and why Andrea Berta should prioritise bringing him to the Emirates Stadium permanently in the summer.
Arsenal take on Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League
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Alvarez was a handful for Arsenal's defenders across the three meetings with Atletico this season(Image: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
The Italian would have been well aware of Alvarez’s talent even before this season’s meetings with Atletico, having engineered his transfer to the Spanish capital during his time as the club’s sporting director in the summer of 2024. In a largely dismal striker market, Alvarez represents a truly world-class option, capable of linking play and finding the net from range - something only Eberechi Eze has managed consistently.
He has scored 20 goals in all competitions this campaign, just one fewer than Gyokeres, while offering far more in terms of his all-round play. At times, Arteta has been accused of fielding 10-men due to the Swede’s lack of involvement for long stretches.
Kai Havertz at one point appeared to be the answer, following his return from injury. But the same old problems remain with the German: he lacks that killer instinct in front of goal and he has been unable to stay fit consistently over the past 18 months.
There remains the issue of the Gunners having to pay a fortune for Alvarez, with some reports suggesting Atletico could demand £100m for their talisman. They will also need to battle Barcelona for his signature, with the La Liga champions believed to be eyeing him as their long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski.
Julian Alvarez (19) of Atletico celebrates after scoring the 0-1 goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off First Leg match between Club Brugge KV and Atletico de Madrid at Jan Breydelstadion on February 18, 2026 in Bruges, Belgium.
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Julian Alvarez has become one of the best strikers in Europe(Image: Getty)
But this is where Berta needs to prove his mettle. Arsenal could end the year as both the English and European champions. This is the exact time to use that to their advantage, attracting the very best talent on the continent, while ensuring they have a stronger starting XI next season.
Some reports claim Alvarez’s preference is to play his football in Spain but he only left Manchester City two years ago because Erling Haaland was keeping him out of the team. Arsenal do not have a Haaland and the Argentine striker still managed 36 goals in 103 appearances for City.
As for Gyokeres, the signing of Alvarez gives Arteta the option to field two very different types of striker depending on the opposition. Arsenal have played over 60 matches this season, meaning there are plenty of minutes to go around too.
Havertz can be a useful third option, capable of playing alongside either striker or in midfield, if he can stay fit. But there is no doubt that Alvarez would stand out as the first choice option, marking a return to when Arsenal had a truly world-class player leading the line with the likes of Thierry Henry, Robin van Persie and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
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