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

Julian Alvarez will not be joining Arsenal this summer. Instead, the Argentine forward has decided to stay at Atletico Madrid after a protracted transfer saga that saw him flirt with a move to Barcelona and leave the Premier League side waiting on the sidelines.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who had identified Alvarez as a prime target to bolster his forward line, now has to look elsewhere for the firepower he envisioned. The drama surrounding Alvarez began shortly after the Champions League final, in which Arsenal were beaten by Paris Saint-Germain. Artista publicly urged his club to be "ambitious" and "swift" in the market, setting high expectations for the summer window. Yet, the reality of the deals that materialised fell short of those ambitions.

Arsenal’s primary target at the start of the transfer period was Morgan Rogers, a prolific striker whose price tag of £117 million was deemed excessive by the Gunners. When that move collapsed, the club turned its attention to Vinícius Júnior, hoping the Brazilian prodigy might make the leap from Real Madrid to the Premier League. That plan, too, failed to materialise, leaving Arsenal with a glaring void in its attacking options. The Alvarez saga stretched right up to the deadline day, but the Argentine never displayed the desire to relocate to London.

In the end, the only forward signing Arsenal managed to secure was Christos Tzolis, a promising Greek striker who arrived from Club Brugge. While Tzolis brings youthful energy, he is unlikely to replace the goal‑scoring pedigree of Alvarez, especially given his limited experience in a top‑five league.

Compounding the issue, Arsenal allowed three established attackers to depart: Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus. The club also sent promising teenager Ethan Nwaneri out on loan to Borussia Dortmund.

In effect, four forwards left the squad while only one arrived, raising serious questions about the depth and quality of Arsenal’s offensive options for the upcoming campaign. The left‑wing position is now particularly precarious.

Tzolis is the only recognized specialist for that role, at least until the January transfer window opens. The club can also call upon Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke to fill the spot, but both players are expected to share duties with midfield talisman Martin Ødegaard and winger Bukayo Saka, limiting their availability as pure left‑wingers.

Eze demonstrated his versatility after coming off the bench against Aston Villa, showing he can operate effectively on the flank. However, neither he nor Tzolis possess the blistering pace and one‑on‑one dribbling that Arteta prefers; they are not the type of players who can consistently run behind a defense the way Martinelli did last season.

Can Tzolis shoulder the left‑wing responsibilities on his own? Those familiar with his work ethic note his remarkable recovery ability – he can play three days after a full match and still perform. During the 2024‑25 season with Club Brugge, Tzolis logged just under 4,400 minutes, roughly 900 minutes fewer than the combined total of Martinelli and Trossard for Arsenal in the previous campaign.

To match that output, he would need to feature in about ten more games this season, a workload that could test his stamina and consistency. The centre‑forward area is equally thin.

With the departure of Gabriel Jesus and the uncertain fitness of Kai Havertz, Arsenal have lost a key striker compared with the previous season. Earlier this summer, Arteta admitted he feared the title race had slipped away in November when the Gunners were left with only Mikel Merino as a viable striker. Merino can cover the role, but he is not a natural number nine and his primary position is in midfield.

Despite the shortage, Arsenal did add a new dimension to their attack by signing Bruno Guimarães for £75 million. The Brazilian midfielder, who impressed in his debut against Aston Villa, is renowned for his ability to break down opposition defences and could provide a creative spark from deeper positions.

While Guimarães is not a traditional striker, his late runs into the box and knack for unlocking tight spaces may help mitigate the lack of a natural centre‑forward. Another potential solution lies in the emerging talent of 16‑year‑old Max Dowman. Previously considered a fringe player, Dowman is now expected to feature more prominently, capable of operating on the right wing or as a number ten.

His versatility could ease the burden on Madueke and Eze when they are required elsewhere on the pitch. Depth remains a hallmark of Arsenal’s squad.

The club possesses at least two players for every position, with some areas boasting three options. Over the summer, Arsenal overhauled their medical department, aiming to improve injury resilience for key figures such as Saka and Ødegaard. A healthier squad could translate into more consistent forward‑line selections, reducing the impact of the reduced attacking roster.

Defensively, Arsenal addressed a glaring need after William Saliba’s long‑term injury forced them to sign Ezri Konsa. With Jurrien Timber and Ben White still battling injury concerns, the additional right‑back cover is valuable. Arsenal now have a robust back‑up defensive unit comprising White, Konsa, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié – a depth chart that would make many Premier League rivals envious.

Meanwhile, rivals Manchester City and Chelsea have been active in the market, reinforcing their squads with high‑profile signings. City added Elliot Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Enzo Fernández, while Chelsea secured a new goalkeeper, bolstered their defence and injected experience throughout the team. Both clubs appear well‑equipped to challenge for the title, leaving Arsenal to wonder whether their relatively quiet summer in the attacking department will leave them lagging behind. In summary, Arsenal’s transfer window has been a mixed bag.

While the club has shored up its defensive depth and added creative midfield talent, the forward line has suffered a net loss of four players and gained only one. The lack of a proven, high‑calibre striker like Alvarez could force Arteta to adapt his tactical approach, perhaps relying more on fluid front‑three rotations and the occasional goal‑mouth contributions from midfield. Whether this strategy will be sufficient to compete for the Premier League crown remains to be seen, and the upcoming fixtures – starting with the high‑stakes clash against Chelsea – will provide an early test of Arsenal’s attacking resilience.