Arsenal's Late Push for Julián Álvarez and Osimhen Talks
Arsenal opened their Premier League season with a statement. A 3-0 win over newly-promoted Coventry City at the Emirates, goals from Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, and a front line that looked sharp and ruthless.
It still isn’t enough for Mikel Arteta.
Even with Havertz scoring as a central striker and the supporting cast purring around him, Arsenal are driving hard to add another elite centre-forward before the window closes. The focus, again, has swung back to Julián Álvarez.
Arsenal’s last throw for Álvarez
Álvarez has been clear about one thing: he does not want a return to England. The Argentina international left Manchester City for Barcelona in 2024 and has made his preference to stay in Spain known.
Arsenal are refusing to walk away.
According to Spanish outlet SPORT, Atletico Madrid would rather sell Álvarez to Arsenal than strengthen direct La Liga rivals Barcelona. That stance has opened the door to an aggressive late move from north London.
The report claims Arsenal are prepared to offer Victor Gyökeres plus €80 million (£68m) to Atletico in exchange for Álvarez. On top of that, they are said to be putting a huge contract on the table: an annual salary of €25m (£21m), which would make the 26-year-old one of the highest earners at the club.
The proposed deal, described as a last-ditch attempt to change the player’s mind, would effectively double Álvarez’s current wages. Arsenal know they are fighting the player’s own preference as much as Atletico’s demands. They are trying to make the financial side impossible to ignore.
Whether that is enough to drag him back to the Premier League is another matter.
Osimhen enters the frame
Arsenal are not betting everything on Álvarez. A parallel track is already in motion.
Foot Mercato report that the club have opened negotiations with Galatasaray over Victor Osimhen as a potential alternative. The Nigerian has been a dominant force in Turkey, firing Galatasaray to back-to-back league titles and rebuilding his reputation after his prolific spell at Napoli.
Osimhen’s name has already featured in discussions between the clubs. He was mentioned when Galatasaray explored deals for Arsenal youngsters Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Martinelli, and his situation has remained on the radar ever since.
Now, with Arsenal searching for a marquee No 9 and Tottenham also credited with interest, those talks have taken on fresh weight.
There is a major obstacle. Osimhen’s current salary, reported at around £17.1m per year, is expected to be a serious sticking point. Any move to north London would likely require the 27-year-old to accept a significant wage cut, or for Arsenal to rip up their existing pay structure.
For a club that has just watched its attack dismantle Coventry on opening night, the message is blunt: the standards are going up again. The only question now is which striker is willing to step into that spotlight.
