Fresh approach
Arsenal set Julián Alvarez transfer deadline as Mikel Arteta’s €416m spree laid bare
©TM/IMAGO
With the World Cup nearing its climax, Arsenal are ramping up their transfer business and it appears Mikel Arteta is keen to avoid a summer transfer window saga in moving for his top targets. The Spaniard is reportedly pushing to sign Julián Alvarez from Atlético Madrid after interest from other clubs in the Argentina international cooled in recent weeks, while Arteta remains keen on bringing in England star Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa.
Market Value
J. Alvarez
Centre-Forward
€100.00m
Market Value
M. Rogers
Attacking Midfield
€90.00m
According to The Independent, Arsenal want Alvarez’s signature to be secured by the end of pre-season training and Arteta is ‘pushing’ for the deal to get done. That sense of urgency may have increased even more after Alvarez produced a stunning goal in Argentina’s 3-1 win over Switzerland on Saturday.
Alvarez is not exactly prolific, but the 26-year-old chips in with a respectable amount of goals and assists, with 20 goals and nine assists in 49 games last season. His €100m value points to his versatility and creativity means he can play from the left, as a No.10 or as a deep-lying striker. Rogers, valued at €90m, can also play from the left or as a No. 10, and his arrival may trigger immediate questions about Eberechi Eze and Martin Ødegaard's long-term future at the Emirates.
Arteta's most expensive attacking signings
Both deals combined could end up setting back the north London club around €250m in total. It would represent a huge investment from the Premier League champions as they aim to cling onto their crown next season after ending a 22-year wait for a league title. It is almost out of character from the Arsenal boss, who has only spent €416.7m on attacking players since his arrival in December 2019. More than half of that was spent last summer alone, hinting that Arteta has recognised his need to refresh his attack more often.
Arteta's most expensive signing in that area was Kai Havertz, who joined the Gunners from capital rivals Chelsea for €75m in July 2023. As the graphic above shows, Arteta has signed 12 players and only 10 for transfer fees. However, one could argue there have been more misses than hits and that may owe some explanation to why Arteta is looking to bolster his ranks.
His three attacking signings in the summer of 2025 set him back a whopping €232.2m, yet Gyökeres hasn't fully convinced Arteta he will end Arsenal's problems up front. Likewise, Eze's statistics aside from goals against Tottenham are disappointing and Noni Madueke has struggled prove himself in Bukayo Saka's absence.
Sending a message
There are challenging aspects to both deals. Aston Villa are not likely to reduce their reported €150m asking price for Rogers unless he hands in an official transfer request, while Alvarez has revealed his preference to move to Barca or Real Madrid. Atletico have firmly stuck to their guns and insisted Alvarez won't leave for a cent less than his €500m release clause. Our transfer rumour experts had rated his likelihood of joining Arsenal at 18%, but that could now skyrocket following this more recent report.
| Rumour | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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J. Alvarez |  |
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| Centre-Forward | |||||||
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But the pursuit of both players signals Arsenal's intent in the transfer market and is a significant nod towards their financial muscle. Along with Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester City and PSG, they must be considered among the big players in Europe sporting director Andrea Berta can pull off both deals for Arteta.
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