Arsenal prioritise Julian Alvarez signing with Gyokeres swap deal explored

Arsenal have identified Julian Alvarez as their primary transfer target this summer, with BBC Sport reporting the Atletico Madrid striker is now ahead of Morgan Rogers and Bradley Barcola in the Gunners’ pecking order. The 26-year-old Argentine has been linked with a move to north London for several months, and Atletico are understood to be open to selling him to the Premier League champions — having already rejected an £86 million bid from Barcelona for a player they have no intention of losing to their La Liga rivals.

Arteta’s side clinched their first Premier League title in 22 years last season, but the manager is pushing hard to strengthen his attacking options. Argentine outlet Clarin Deportivo has reported that Arsenal are “following every movement” of Alvarez and intend to present themselves as a serious alternative should Barcelona’s pursuit stall. Any deal is expected to be concluded only after Alvarez’s World Cup campaign concludes.

In a separate development, talkSPORT has reported that Arsenal have explored the possibility of including Viktor Gyokeres in a swap arrangement to help facilitate a move for Alvarez. The Swedish striker scored 21 goals in all competitions during his debut season at the Emirates, contributing to the title win, but questions were raised about his technical level relative to his teammates and his tendency to fade from matches.

Whether a swap deal will actually materialise remains unclear, according to the report, with Arsenal yet to reach a firm decision on Gyokeres’ future at the club.

Arsenal’s transfer business has been relatively quiet so far this summer. Their only confirmed new signings are defender Piero Hincapie, who completed a permanent £34.5 million move from Bayer Leverkusen after a loan spell, and goalkeeper Illan Meslier, who joined on a free transfer from Leeds United. Sporting director Andrea Berta has been in discussions over personal terms with several targets — including Christos Tzolis, Bruno Guimaraes, and Andria Bartishvili — as the club weighs up its options ahead of what could be a significant window.