Arsenal will not include striker Viktor Gyokeres in a potential deal to sign Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. Reports had suggested the Gunners were prepared to offer £85 million plus Gyokeres to entice Atletico into selling Alvarez, but Romano stated on his YouTube channel that there is currently “nothing on track” for the Swede to move to the Spanish capital.
Arsenal are still interested in Alvarez, with the Argentine forward reportedly wanting to leave Atletico, though his preferred destination is Barcelona. However, Atletico are reluctant to sell to their domestic rivals, having already rejected a €100 million bid from Barcelona. This has opened the door for Arsenal, who are believed to be confident in their ability to reach an agreement with both Alvarez and Atletico, as reported by Graeme Bailey.
Romano clarified that, as of late July, there are no concrete negotiations regarding Gyokeres joining Atletico, even as a potential part of a larger deal. He emphasized that Gyokeres’ situation remains “very quiet” at present. Bailey has confirmed that Atletico have enquired about Gyokeres, but Arsenal are unwilling to sell or offer him as a makeweight in any transfer.
Arsenal’s preference is to keep both Alvarez and Gyokeres in their squad, potentially by offloading either Gabriel Martinelli or Gabriel Jesus to create space in the attack. The club is also reportedly progressing in talks to sign Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United, with personal terms already agreed, and are ambitiously pursuing Vinicius Jr from Real Madrid, potentially making him their highest-paid player.
Alvarez joined Atletico Madrid ahead of the 2023-24 season and made 33 appearances across all competitions, scoring 18 goals. Gyokeres, who signed for Arsenal last summer, had a strong debut season, scoring 12 Premier League goals. Should Alvarez arrive, he would add further firepower to Mikel Arteta’s squad, while retaining Gyokeres would maintain depth in the forward line.
