Arsenal Targets Julián Álvarez and Victor Osimhen

Arsenal opened their Premier League season with a statement and then went straight back to the market.

A 3-0 win over Coventry City at the Emirates on Friday night, with Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard on the scoresheet, suggested Mikel Arteta’s attack has started the campaign in sharp order. Havertz led the line, scored the opener and looked comfortable as the focal point.

Arsenal, though, are still hunting a marquee No 9.

Last-ditch move for Álvarez

Julián Álvarez remains at the top of Arteta’s list. The problem is clear: the Atlético Madrid striker has already made it known he does not want a return to England after leaving Manchester City for Barcelona in 2024, and his preference is to stay with the Catalan club.

That has not stopped Arsenal from making one last big play.

According to Spanish outlet SPORT, Atlético would actually rather sell Álvarez to Arsenal than strengthen La Liga rivals Barcelona. To make that happen, the report claims Arsenal are prepared to put Victor Gyökeres into the deal and add €80 million (£68m) on top for the 26-year-old.

The financial package for the player is just as aggressive. Arsenal are said to be ready to offer Álvarez an annual salary of €25m (£21m), a figure that would place him among the highest earners at the club and, per the report, roughly double his current wages. It is described as a last-ditch attempt to drag him back to the Premier League despite his stated reluctance.

Whether that kind of money and a leading role in a title-chasing side is enough to change his mind is now the central question of Arsenal’s window.

Osimhen on the radar

Arsenal are not betting everything on Álvarez. A parallel track is already in motion.

Foot Mercato report that the north London club have opened negotiations with Galatasaray over Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian striker’s name first surfaced in conversations between the clubs when the Turkish champions explored moves for Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Martinelli.

Osimhen has been a dominant force in Turkey, spearheading Galatasaray to back-to-back league titles and rebuilding his reputation after his prolific spell at Napoli. At 27, he fits the profile of a ready-made, elite centre-forward.

There is a catch. The same report notes that Osimhen’s current salary, around £17.1m a year, is a major obstacle. Any deal would likely hinge on the player accepting a substantial wage cut to fit into Arsenal’s structure, with Tottenham also credited with interest in the former Serie A star.

Arsenal have started the season with goals and control. Now the club’s hierarchy are trying to add a striker who can turn a strong title push into something more. Whether it is Álvarez, Osimhen, or neither will say plenty about how far they are prepared to go.