According to Teamtalk, Arsenal could be prepared to offer Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus as makeweights to land Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez during the summer transfer window.
The Gunners strengthened their striking department with the signing of Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres last summer. The Swede has been inconsistent during his six months at Arsenal, but has still netted 10 goals across all competitions.
Arsenal may enter the transfer market for another strong competitor and Alvarez has recently emerged as a top target. Teamtalk claim that the London side could include Martinelli and Jesus in a part exchange deal to prise away Alvarez from Atletico.
Diego Simeone’s side signed the Argentine from Manchester City for an initial £64 million in the summer of 2024, but it has already been reported that La Liga heavyweights want at least £104 million to part ways with the World Cup winner.
Difficult deal
Arsenal have not had a standout contributor of goals and assists this campaign. Leandro Trossard dazzled during the first few months of the campaign, but his form has dipped of late. Bukayo Saka has been far from his best too in the Premier League.
Gyokeres has shown signs of returning to form with three goals in 2026, but manager Mikel Arteta may want more quality upfront. Alvarez would be a good solution for the north London giants. He has just turned 26 and is in the prime of his career.
The Argentine was sensational for Atletico last season with 29 goals and 8 assists from 57 appearances. He has not quite replicated the form this campaign, but has still notched up 11 goals and 5 assists from 30 matches for the Spanish outfit.
Alvarez’s statistics may not be overly promising compared to Gyokeres, but he offers much more in the final third. He averages almost 22 successful passes per game and has the knack for creating chances too, by dropping into attacking midfield.
His positioning traits make him an ideal striker for Arteta’s tactical system at Arsenal. The Gunners could be willing to offer Martinelli and Jesus as makeweights to lower the final fee for Alvarez, but Atletico could play hardball in negotiations for him.
Alvarez has another 4 years left on his contract after the ongoing campaign concludes. Atletico are in a strong position to negotiate and could be reluctant to sanction his departure unless a club comes close to their reported asking price for the striker.
