Alvarez Remains at Atletico – Does Arsenal’s Attack Lack Depth?

Julian Alvarez will not be joining Arsenal this summer; the Argentine striker has decided to stay at Atletico Madrid after a brief flirtation with a move to Barcelona that ultimately fell through. This decision leaves Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta without the high‑profile forward he had identified as a priority during the off‑season.

Alvarez’s choice follows a pattern this transfer window, where several of Arsenal’s most coveted targets – including Morgan Rogers and Vinícius Júnior – also chose to remain with their current clubs, leaving the Gunners to reassess their attacking options. The saga surrounding Alvarez began in earnest after Arsenal’s defeat in the Champions League final to Paris Saint-Germain. In the aftermath, Arteta publicly urged his club to be "ambitious" and "swift" in the market, signalling a clear intent to strengthen the forward line. Yet, despite these declarations, the summer transfer activity has been underwhelming for Arsenal’s attack.

Their primary target, Morgan Rogers, was snapped up by Chelsea for a reported £117 million – a fee Arsenal deemed excessive. The club then pivoted to a more daring pursuit of Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior, but the Brazilian remained at the Spanish giants, leaving Arsenal without a marquee signing. Alvarez’s situation unfolded right up to the transfer deadline.

While Arsenal made repeated overtures, the Argentine showed little enthusiasm for a move to the Premier League. In the end, Christos Tzolis emerged as the sole addition to Arsenal’s front three, arriving from Club Brugge.

This singular acquisition contrasts sharply with the departures that have thinned the squad: Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus all exited, and promising teenager Ethan Nwaneri was loaned to Borussia Dortmund. In effect, Arsenal have lost four attackers and added only one, raising concerns about squad depth and the ability to sustain a high‑tempo offensive approach throughout a demanding season. The left‑wing position, traditionally a source of creativity and pace for Arsenal, now rests largely on the shoulders of Tzolis.

While he possesses a commendable work ethic and the ability to recover quickly between matches – evidenced by his 4,400 minutes for Club Brugge last season – he does not match the blistering speed or one‑on‑one dribbling flair that Arteta often favours. Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke can also operate on the left, but both are expected to provide cover across multiple roles, including supporting midfield maestro Martin Ødegaard and winger Bukayo Saka. Eze’s cameo against Aston Villa demonstrated his capacity to fill the left‑wing slot, yet neither he nor Tzolis consistently make the penetrating runs behind defences that characterized Martinelli’s play. Tzolis’ workload will be a key factor.

At Club Brugge he logged just under 4,400 minutes, roughly 900 minutes fewer than the combined minutes of Martinelli and Trossard for Arsenal last season. To match that output, he may need to feature in around ten additional games this campaign, a demand that could test his stamina and consistency. Whether he can shoulder the left‑wing responsibilities alone, or whether Arteta will need to rotate him with other options, remains an open question.

In central attack, Arsenal face a similar dilemma. With the departures of Gabriel Jesus and the uncertain status of Kai Havertz, the Gunners are effectively a striker short compared with the previous season. Arteta previously expressed anxiety in November when the squad had only Mikel Merino available as a true centre‑forward, highlighting the vulnerability of relying on a single player for that role.

While Merino can adapt to a more advanced position, he is primarily a midfielder, and the lack of a natural number nine could limit Arsenal’s ability to hold up play and finish chances inside the box. The club attempted to mitigate this gap by signing Bruno Guimarães for around £75 million. The Brazilian midfielder, who impressed in his debut against Aston Villa, brings a different dimension – his ability to break lines with intelligent runs and precise passing can help alleviate pressure on the front line.

However, Guimarães is not a traditional striker, and his contribution will be more about linking play than providing a focal point for goal‑scoring. A potential wildcard is 16‑year‑old Max Dowman, whose role could expand beyond the peripheral status he held last term. Dowman may be deployed on the right wing or even in a number ten role, offering Artetta additional flexibility when Madueke and Eze are required elsewhere.

The presence of versatile young talents like Dowman underscores Arsenal’s depth, yet relying on teenage development to fill immediate gaps carries inherent risk. Beyond the attacking unit, Arsenal have reinforced other areas of the squad. The club addressed a defensive shortfall caused by William Saliba’s long‑term injury by signing Ezri Konsa, providing extra cover at right‑back.

With Jurrien Timber and Ben White also battling injury concerns, this additional defensive depth is valuable. Arsenal now possess a robust bench of defenders – White, Konsa, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié – that could rival the starting back four of many Premier League rivals. Meanwhile, rivals Manchester City have made headline‑grabbing acquisitions, bolstering their midfield with Elliot Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Enzo Fernández, while Chelsea have strengthened across the board, adding a new goalkeeper, shoring up the defence and injecting experience throughout the squad. Both clubs appear well‑equipped to challenge for the title, leaving Arsenal to contemplate whether their relatively modest attacking reinforcements will suffice.

In summary, Arsenal’s summer has been a mixed bag: a single forward signing against a backdrop of multiple departures, a reinforced defence, and a midfield bolstered by a high‑profile Brazilian. The pressing question is whether this configuration will allow the Gunners to compete on multiple fronts without sacrificing attacking potency.

As the season kicks off, the effectiveness of Arteta’s squad management, the durability of new arrivals like Tzolis, and the development of youthful prospects such as Dowman will be scrutinised. The upcoming clash with Chelsea on Sunday, broadcast live on Sky Sports, will offer an early indicator of how well Arsenal have navigated this transfer window and whether the gap between them and the league’s elite has truly narrowed.