Arsenal make last-ditch £68m-plus-Gyokeres bid for Alvarez as Osimhen talks open

Arsenal are pursuing two striking targets simultaneously this transfer window, lodging a major offer for Julian Alvarez while opening separate talks over Victor Osimhen, according to reports in Spain and France.

The Gunners kicked off their Premier League season with a 3-0 win over newly-promoted Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium, with Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard all on the scoresheet. Despite that encouraging start, Mikel Arteta is pushing to add further firepower before the window closes.

Arsenal’s Alvarez push

Arsenal’s pursuit of Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez has intensified, with Spanish outlet SPORT reporting that the north London club have made a last-ditch offer of Victor Gyokeres plus €80 million (£68m) to secure the 26-year-old’s signature. Atletico are said to prefer Arsenal as a destination over Barcelona, despite Alvarez publicly expressing a desire to join the Catalan club rather than return to England, having left Manchester City for Atletico in 2024.

To sweeten the deal further, Arsenal are reportedly willing to offer Alvarez an annual salary of €25m (£21m), a figure that would make him one of the club’s highest earners and effectively double his current wages. The offer represents a significant financial commitment from Arsenal as they attempt to override the player’s stated preference.

Osimhen as the alternative

Should the Alvarez pursuit fail, Arsenal have a credible fallback. French outlet Foot Mercato reports that Arteta’s side have begun negotiations with Galatasaray over Victor Osimhen. The 27-year-old Nigerian striker had previously been mentioned in discussions between the two clubs when Galatasaray were pursuing Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Martinelli.

Osimhen has been a standout performer in Turkey, helping Galatasaray win back-to-back league titles since joining from Napoli. His future remains uncertain, with Tottenham also reported to be monitoring the situation. The striker currently earns £17.1m per season, a salary that would represent a significant outlay for any interested club.

Arsenal’s dual pursuit underlines Arteta’s determination to address a centre-forward position that, despite Havertz’s promising display against Coventry, remains a priority area for reinforcement.