Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta appears to have a clear strategy for strengthening his squad, with Julian Alvarez featuring prominently in the club’s thinking as the transfer window progresses.
The north London side are not done with their summer recruitment drive, with Arteta understood to be targeting a high-profile signing before the window closes.
Arsenal head into the new campaign in excellent condition following their impressive 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield at the weekend — a result that demonstrated clear ambition and secured their first trophy of the 2026/27 season.
There is a compelling argument that Arsenal enter this season as the favourites for the Premier League crown. The signings of Piero Hincapie, Illan Meslier, Christos Tzolis and Bruno Guimaraes have enhanced an already strong squad, with those four arrivals costing close to £150million in total.
Despite that investment, Arteta is pushing for additional signings, specifically a flexible defensive player and an elite-level forward, before the September 1 cutoff. To generate both funds and roster space, several senior players are anticipated to depart over the coming weeks.
Gabriel Martinelli, Ethan Nwaneri, Gabriel Jesus and Myles Lewis-Skelly have all been mentioned as potential departures. With Friday’s Premier League opener against Coventry City approaching, football.london examines the two most important transfer situations currently involving the club.
Arteta’s transfer strategy outlined
Arsenal are reportedly waiting until later in the window before deciding whether to pursue one of their main targets. There has been significant speculation about Arteta’s pursuit of a world-class attacker this summer, having initially targeted Morgan Rogers and then Vinicius Junior, with neither move succeeding.
However, The Athletic reports that although considerable focus has been on the left wing position, there is flexibility regarding which role Arsenal’s next marquee signing will fill, depending on which of their key forward targets becomes attainable.
Their two primary long-term targets who remain available, though commanding significant fees, are Juventus midfielder Kenan Yildiz and Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez. The former recently signed a new contract and is reportedly valued at approximately £86million, while Alvarez could cost the club in excess of £120million.
Having already recruited Tzolis, Arsenal are in no rush to add another forward. Instead, they plan to wait until late in the window to see if the market makes one of those stars reachable.
Alvarez situation explained
Alvarez returned to Atletico Madrid last week but will not feature in Wednesday’s La Liga opener against Malaga due to insufficient fitness levels. The 26-year-old has persistently been associated with a move away this summer, with Barcelona and Arsenal emerging as the two clubs most strongly interested in his services.
When questioned about Alvarez’s availability, Simeone told Marca that his stance remains unchanged. He continues to focus on the sporting side and they maintain regular communication as always. From a sporting perspective, they require more training sessions with him to allow him to improve. He considers Alvarez to be one of the best attacking players, if not the best.
Alvarez received an extended break following Argentina’s journey to the World Cup final. Journalists at the press conference repeatedly questioned Simeone about Alvarez’s future and Atletico’s ongoing legal dispute with Barcelona over the player. However, the manager was unambiguous in his position that his valuable striker is unavailable for transfer.
Simeone made clear that if the club owner spoke so directly about the situation, then the position is definitive and unmistakable. He drew a comparison to court proceedings, suggesting there is nothing further to discuss. The club is focused on the person and the player, and they acknowledge that he is not fit enough to play in the upcoming match.