Arsenal could have £80m bid accepted for best signing since Rice

During the summer, Andrea Berta’s main job at Arsenal was clear. He needed to sign a new striker.

Think back a year. Work was easy back then too. The Gunners needed to sign a centre-forward long before Victor Gokeres finally arrived in the warmer months.

The Gunners were left reeling just over 12 months ago when Gabriel Jesus injured his ACL, and then Kai Havertz picked up a hamstring problem just days after the end of the game, leaving Mikel Arteta to retain the merino-shaped Mikel as his main centre-forward.

To his credit, he put in a great performance, scoring in a 3-0 win against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

But a year on from the original need for a new striker, it’s definitely still there.

Arsenal considering signing £80m striker

Gökeres was the top candidate for Berta during the summer, but it’s no exaggeration to say that he didn’t really set the world on fire.

Jesus and Havertz have returned from injury, but only time will tell if that spurs the Swede into an even more spirited performance.

In that regard, early signs are good. Jesus and Goqueres both scored in Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Inter Milan at San Siro last week.

That said, there is a sense that the Gunners need more firepower, and they could get it in the form of Atletico Madrid’s Julián Alvarez.

Coincidentally, it was Berta who brokered Atlético’s move for the Argentine when he left Manchester City in 2024. This is certainly only good news for Arsenal.

Reports late last week suggested the north Londoner had held initial negotiations over a transfer but had been told how much it would cost to bring Alvarez back to English football.

Football Insider report that Atleti are likely to accept an offer of £80 million if they are willing to sign the former Man City forward.

Manager Pete O’Rourke said: “It would be a huge deal for Atletico just to consider selling him,” before revealing that “a player like him would probably require a transfer fee of over £80m.”

This is not a move likely to materialize this month, with Arsenal having to wait until the summer to realize a potential transfer.

Why Alvarez could be Arsenal’s best player since Declan Rice

The team-building under Arteta has been truly exceptional. Indeed, Arsenal have been praised for their depth this season. It’s definitely the best in Europe and definitely the best in English football.

The arrival of Declan Rice, who broke records almost three years ago, has taken this Arsenal team to a new level. Remember those two free kicks against Madrid? Of course you do. This solidified the midfielder as one of the best players in the world.

Since his arrival, they have made further game-changing additions in the form of Riccardo Calafioli, Martin Zubimendi and Ebelesi Eze. That being said, there is one position that the Spaniard has had a hard time grasping. Center forward role.

Last summer it was thought that Arsenal would acquire the strength they needed to continue winning the biggest trophies. Considering they are top of the Premier League and Champions League, they are well placed to make that happen.

However, before Sunday’s clash with Manchester United, Arteta’s side had drawn 0-0 in their last two Premier League games. The goal in the 3-2 defeat to Michael Carrick’s side came from an own goal and, you guessed it, a set piece.

Gokeres, who has scored just nine goals this term, has not performed well and, frankly, has missed many games without making much of an impact.

Alvarez, on the other hand, ticks many boxes. Not only does he have experience in English football, he is more than just a goalscorer. The important thing is that he is a creator and someone who loves being involved in theater.

So far this season, the 25-year-old has recorded around 50 touches per 90 minutes, twice as many as Gokeres, who has only had 24 touches per 90.

The Argentine, previously hailed as “the best forward in the world” by journalist Roy Neymar, scored 29 goals in 57 appearances in all competitions last season. The 2025/26 season hasn’t been particularly prolific for Alvarez, with his last nine La Liga games goalless, but he still managed to score 11 goals.

Regardless of his current form, he represents a huge upgrade for Gokeres and will look like the missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle.

By all metrics, Alvarez has outperformed Arsenal’s number 14 this season, and given that he previously played in England, it would be hard to assume this move was a mistake.

Arteta has needed a striker for years. He definitely needed one more player than he signed with Rice in 2023. This could be the move that ties everything together, similar to when the former West Ham man moved to the Emirates Stadium.

This is a landmark deal and could see Arsenal finally cross the line for a major player.