This time last year, Arsenal had already completed three transfers and a fourth was in the works.
The Gunners were quick to strengthen their squad during Andrea Berta’s first summer as manager, bringing in Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zvimendi, Christian Norgaard and Noni Madueke in the first half of July.
It’s been a rather slow start to the year for the Premier League champions. So far, goalkeeper Ilan Meslier is the only player signed on a free transfer.
It’s not quite what window proponents had in mind, but there’s some irony in the fire. We know how Berta wants to act. Once he knows all the financials, he lines up multiple deals before deciding on the best port of call.
That’s certainly what’s happening right now with Bradley Barcola and Morgan Rogers in particular.
Why Barcola and Rodgers could transform Arsenal’s attack
Last summer was all about finding an elite center forward. The jury is still out on Victor Gokeres, but they have found a natural goalscorer.
It will be important to find elite wide players this year. There’s no ifs or maybes, but Arsenal just have to make the signing.
Christos Tzoris is said to be chosen to replace the departing Leandro Trossard, but that does not have a negative impact on the signings of Rodgers and Barcora.
It seems like it could be either. If Aston Villa cannot reach an agreement on Rodgers’ contract, he will play for Barcola.
Regardless of which player he signs, if he does manage to sign one, Mikel Arteta could significantly strengthen and even transform his attack.
Rodgers is versatile and can play both as a number 10 and as a winger. With 14 goals in back-to-back seasons, he will definitely become an added threat. He’s really aggressive and his running is powerful, something Arsenal don’t have in players like Trossard or Martin Odegaard. Proven Premier League experience also ticks a big box.
Barcola is a very different player. He’s more direct and a surprisingly good dribbler. He is also a goal threat and can create chances at will. He scored 21 goals and added another 21 in the 2024/25 season.
Such figures are unheard of for an Arsenal winger in recent years, and while his achievements may have mainly come from France, he remains one of the most exciting wide players in Europe’s top five leagues.
2025/26 Premier League Arsenal attackers | ||
|---|---|---|
player | the goal | assist |
Gokeres | 14 | 1 |
Havertz | 2 | 2 |
Jesus | 3 | 0 |
of | 7 | 5 |
maduke | 3 | 1 |
Trossard | 6 | 6 |
martinelli | 1 | 4 |
Dauman | 1 | 0 |
Still, could there be a better sign in store?
Big forward is open to joining Arsenal
Last season, Arsenal didn’t get much out of their wide players, especially on the left. Trossard scored his only goal for the club in 2026, while Gabriel Martinelli has only scored one goal in all Premier League seasons.
So Barcola and Rodgers would be transformative signings. That said, it may not be as game-changing as signing a world-class striker this summer.
Arsenal have attracted the attention of Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Crupi and will likely pursue him if the opportunity arises. The 19-year-old had an excellent season for the Cherries, scoring 13 goals, but the south coast side don’t want to lose him.
In comparison, Julián Alvarez’s situation at Atletico Madrid is rather open. He is dreaming of a move to Barcelona, and Real Madrid are believed to have already turned down a £130m offer. Atleti do not want to sell him to another Spanish team.
However, they may want to sell him to Arsenal. Their interest in the player has been well documented in recent months, with Miguel Delaney of the Independent reporting that they are looking to sign him before pre-season begins on July 20th.
Competition for the player appears to have receded and he would be “open to” a move to the Emirates Stadium if nothing else materializes.
Signing a new striker is not mandatory, having signed Gokeres a year ago, but it still feels like a piece of the puzzle is missing. The Swede is not a long-term solution to the problems he faced in the final third.
There is no doubt that Rodgers or Barcola would strengthen the forward, but Alvarez is the perfect player for Arsenal. He is a proven goalscorer and creator with proven experience in Arteta’s beloved Premier League. Argentines are also versatile. So many boxes are checked here.
Since joining Atleti from City, the World Cup winner has proven himself to be one of Europe’s best players. Argentine Roy Nemer even praised the 26-year-old as “the best centre-forward in the world” for the 2024/25 season.
He may have been overtaken by the likes of Harry Kane and former teammate Erling Haaland last year, but he remains one of the continent’s best strikers. Alvarez is truly a magical player. He created special moments out of nowhere, and his goal against Switzerland in the World Cup quarter-finals said it all.
Not only is he capable of making his mark on the international stage, he scored 29 goals in his debut season with Madrid and scored another 20 for the Spanish giants last season.
A ruthless scorer, he is also heavily involved in the build-up phase of play, ranking in the top 9% of positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues as a potential build-up threat. It’s the exact opposite of Gokeres. Alvarez is happy to drop deep, but he also has the ability to run in from behind. He’s a very versatile threat and a real handful for defenders.
Expected threat (xT) is a metric that quantifies how much a player’s actions (such as passes or carries) increase the team’s chances of scoring.
Yes, Arsenal need wingers, but Alvarez is a completely different caliber of player than Arsenal already have or have had, perhaps since the days of Robin van Persie leading the line in north London.
He is a better all-round player than Gokeres, and the same is true when compared to Barcola and Rodgers. This is a deal that could potentially send the Gunners into the Champions League. He’s a real game changer.
