Julian Alvarez has made it clear he wants to leave Atletico Madrid, and with Barcelona his preferred destination seemingly blocked, Arsenal have been handed a double boost in their pursuit of the Argentina striker. Atletico’s reluctance to do business with a La Liga rival has opened the door for the Gunners, who are now exploring a player-plus-cash deal involving Sweden forward Viktor Gyokeres.
Spanish outlet AS reports that Atletico would be willing to negotiate if Arsenal submit a “considerable” offer. Without including Gyokeres, a deal would require Arsenal to smash the British transfer record — currently Liverpool’s £125m acquisition of Alexander Isak last summer. But a swap would be far more palatable: a poll on the same website found that 91 per cent of Atletico fans back an £85m-plus-Gyokeres deal for Alvarez.
“Arsenal eye £85m-plus-Gyokeres swap for Alvarez as Atletico Madrid open to deal, fan poll shows 91% backing.”
Atletico were keen on Gyokeres last summer but could not match Arsenal’s £63.5m offer, including add-ons, to Sporting CP. The 28-year-old went on to help Arsenal win the Premier League title, scoring 14 league goals. Yet his performances have drawn criticism. Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson, speaking on Stick to Football, claimed: “I watch Gyokeres, Arsenal don’t trust him, the players. They never pass to him.” He added: “If you watch it, you’d be surprised, then when [Gabriel] Jesus comes on, they keep on giving it him all the time.”
Another ex-Gunner, Ray Parlour, would welcome Alvarez alongside Gyokeres rather than as a replacement. “I think it’s a no-brainer,” Parlour told 10Bet. “There aren’t a lot of great strikers around. I’m sure there’d be a lot of clubs after Alvarez, but he would fit in pretty nicely. He’s hard-working, a good finisher and quick. He’s a little bit different to Gyokeres. Sometimes you can play two up front.”
With Arsenal also pursuing Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes — a £70m offer already rejected, though manager Mikel Arteta is willing to go to £90m — the north London club face a pivotal decision. Will they break the bank for Alvarez alone, or structure a swap that satisfies both Atletico and their own supporters?