Arsenal Target Julián Álvarez Amid Osimhen Negotiations

Arsenal have opened their Premier League campaign with a statement win – and immediately gone hunting for more firepower.

Mikel Arteta’s side swept aside newly-promoted Coventry City 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Friday night, looking sharp and ruthless in attack. Kai Havertz, deployed through the middle, struck first, with Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard adding the gloss in a comfortable victory for the champions.

The goals flowed. The transfer plans haven’t slowed.

Arsenal’s last throw for Álvarez

Despite that convincing start, Arsenal are still driving hard to upgrade their striking options, with Atlético Madrid forward Julián Álvarez sitting at the top of their list.

Álvarez left Manchester City for Barcelona in 2024 and has been clear he does not want a return to England. Even so, Arsenal are refusing to walk away. Spanish outlet SPORT reports that the north London club have launched a last-ditch attempt to turn his head.

Atlético, according to the report, would rather sell to Arsenal than strengthen direct La Liga rivals Barcelona. To make it happen, the Gunners are said to be ready to put Victor Gyökeres plus €80 million (£68m) on the table for the 26-year-old.

The financial package for the player is just as aggressive. Arsenal are reported to be offering Álvarez an annual salary of €25m (£21m), a deal that would place him among the club’s top earners and, crucially, would roughly double his current wages. It is a bold move, aimed at breaking his resistance to a Premier League return.

Whether the money and the project are enough to override his stated preference for Barcelona now becomes the key question.

Osimhen enters the frame

Arsenal are not betting everything on Álvarez. As the clock ticks on the window, a parallel track is already in motion.

Foot Mercato reports that the club have opened negotiations with Galatasaray over a move for Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian striker’s name first surfaced during talks when the Turkish champions explored deals for Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Martinelli, and it has not gone away.

Osimhen has been a revelation in Turkey, spearheading Galatasaray to back-to-back league titles and reasserting his status as one of Europe’s most dangerous centre-forwards. That form has inevitably attracted attention. Tottenham are also said to be monitoring the situation, setting up the prospect of a fierce Premier League tug-of-war.

Any deal, though, comes with a significant financial hurdle. Reports indicate Osimhen currently earns around £17.1m a year, a salary that would be a major obstacle for Arsenal or any English suitor. To make a move viable, the 27-year-old would likely need to accept a substantial pay cut.

So Arsenal stand at a familiar crossroads: a lavish offer on the table for Álvarez, a heavyweight alternative in Osimhen under discussion, and a team already scoring freely. The squad looks strong. The ambition is stronger.