Arsenal may see £80m bid accepted to seal their finest signing since Rice

Over the summer season Andrea Berta’s major job at Arsenal was clear; he wanted to signal a brand new striker.

Solid your minds again a 12 months in the past and the job was easy then too. The Gunners wanted to signal a centre-forward lengthy earlier than Viktor Gyokeres lastly arrived over the hotter months.

Gabriel Jesus’ horrendous ACL harm simply over 12 months in the past rocked the Gunners after which when Kai Havertz sustained a hamstring drawback simply days after the window shut, it left Mikel Arteta with a fellow Mikel within the form of Merino as his main centre-forward.

To his credit score, he carried out admirably, notably scoring in that exceptional 3-0 win over Actual Madrid within the Champions League.

Nevertheless, we’re now a 12 months on from that preliminary want for a brand new striker and it is arguably nonetheless there.

Arsenal taking a look at £80m striker

Gyokeres was the popular candidate so far as Berta was involved over the summer season, nevertheless it’s protected to say he is not actually set the world alight.

Jesus and Havertz are actually again from harm and solely time will inform as as to whether it spurs the Swede into some extra spritely performances.

In that regard, the preliminary indicators are good. Each Jesus and Gyokeres discovered the web on the San Siro final week as Arsenal defeated Inter Milan 3-1.

That being mentioned, there’s a sense that the Gunners want extra firepower they usually may land that within the form of Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez.

Coincidentally, it was Berta who brokered Atletico’s transfer for the Argentine again in 2024 when he left Manchester Metropolis behind which is unquestionably solely excellent news for Arsenal.

Experiences in the direction of the again finish of final week instructed that the north Londoners have held preliminary talks relating to a transfer however they’ve now been informed how a lot it could value to deliver Alvarez again to English soccer.

Soccer Insider report that an £80m supply is prone to be accepted by Atleti if they’re prepared to money in on the previous Man Metropolis ahead.

Pete O’Rourke said that it might be “an enormous deal for Atletico to even take into account promoting him” earlier than revealing that “you’re in all probability trying round £80m plus for somebody like him.”

This is not a transfer that is prone to occur this month with Arsenal needing to attend till the summer season to push via a possible transfer.

Why Alvarez could possibly be Arsenal’s finest signing since Declan Rice

The squad constructing carried out through the Arteta regime has been nothing wanting distinctive. Certainly, Arsenal have been counseled for his or her squad depth this season. It is arguably the best in Europe and it is actually the very best in English soccer.

The record-breaking arrival of Declan Rice almost three years in the past has now taken this Arsenal staff to a different stage. Keep in mind these two free-kicks towards Madrid? After all, you do. It has cemented the midfielder as probably the greatest gamers on this planet.

Since his arrival, they’ve made additional game-changing additions within the form of Riccardo Calafiori, Martin Zubimendi and Eberechi Eze. That mentioned, there’s been one place during which the Spaniard has struggled to essentially nail; the centre-forward function.

It was thought that final summer season would give Arsenal the mandatory firepower to go on and win the largest of trophies. Contemplating they’re high of the Premier League and Champions League, they’re effectively positioned to try this.

But, earlier than their conflict with Manchester United on Sunday, Arteta’s males had drawn their final two Premier League matches 0-0. Their targets in that 3-2 defeat to Michael Carrick’s males then noticed them discover the web through an personal purpose and sure, you guessed it, a set-piece.

Gyokeres – the scorer of simply 9 targets this time period – will not be delivering and to place it bluntly, he ghosts via so many video games with out making a lot of an impression.

Then again, Alvarez ticks loads of bins. Not solely does he have expertise of English soccer however he is greater than only a goalscorer. Crucially, he is a creator, somebody who loves being concerned within the play.

To date this season, the 25-year-old has taken round 50 touches per 90 minutes, double that of Gyokeres, who has taken simply 24 per 90.

Beforehand heralded as “the very best ahead on this planet” by journalist Roy Neymer, the Argentine netted 29 targets in 57 appearances throughout all competitions final time period. 2025/26 hasn’t been fairly so prolific for Alvarez, having gone goalless throughout his final 9 LaLiga outings, however he has nonetheless bagged 11 occasions.

No matter his present run of type, he would characterize a colossal improve on Gyokeres and would seem like the lacking piece of the jigsaw.

In a complete array of metrics, Alvarez betters Arsenal’s quantity 14 this season and given he has carried out in England earlier than, it might be tough to envisage this transfer being a failure.

Arteta has wanted a striker for years. He is arguably wanted yet another than the Rice signing in 2023. Like when the previous West Ham man moved to the Emirates Stadium, this could possibly be a transfer that knits every little thing collectively.

It will be a landmark deal, one that might lastly propel Arsenal over the road of their quest for main silverware.

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