‘From what I understand…’ - Sami Mokbel shares why Arsenal opted against signing 37-G/A striker

Arsenal had Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez on their radar but have opted against doing a deal, according to the BBC journalist Sami Mokbel.

The Gunners want to sign a new number 9 ahead of the 2025-26 campaign and have been keeping tabs on a couple of options, with the Argentina international initially emerging as a target.

However, Arsenal have whittled down their striking target list to two options – RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko and his Sporting CP counterpart Viktor Gyokeres.

“Another name that I’d heard was Julian Alvarez,” Mokbel said on the Daily Grind.

“From what I understand, Arsenal looked at that deal and tried to figure out whether it would be within their capabilities – I suspect not.

“Sesko and Gyokeres, in terms of the finances, are the most realistic.”

Alvarez ended last term with 29 goals and eight assists in 54 appearances and was also brilliant in his last season in the Premier League with Manchester City, weighing in with 19 goals and 14 appearances in 54 games at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

The 25-year-old notched 20 goals and 11 assists in 67 English top-flight matches during the two seasons he spent with Man City, and he could have been perfect for Arsenal.

He has five years left on his contract at the La Liga club after joining them in a £82 million deal last summer, and bringing him back to England would likely cost the North Londoners around £100m or more.

The Gunners have other areas to strengthen and are unlikely to spend that much on a number 9 anytime soon.

£68m could be enough to sign Gyokeres, and while Sesko also has a release clause worth £68m, his club want a package between £68m and £85m to negotiate a long-term payment plan from suitors for his services.

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