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

Julian Alvarez will not be joining Arsenal this summer; instead he will stay at Atletico Madrid after a failed attempt to force a move to Barcelona and Arsenal’s inability to persuade the Argentine forward to return to the Premier League. The missed transfer leaves Mikel Arteta without the marquee striker he had identified as a priority, raising questions about the Gunners' offensive options for the upcoming campaign. The summer transfer saga surrounding Alvarez stretched right up to the deadline, but the player never showed genuine intent to leave Atletico.

While Arsenal lingered on the sidelines, other clubs swooped in. Morgan Rogers, initially Arsenal's top target, was snapped up by Chelsea for a reported £117 million fee that the North London side deemed excessive. The club then turned its attention to Vinícius Júnior, hoping to replicate Real Madrid’s success, but the Brazilian remained at the Spanish giants. In the aftermath of the Champions League final loss to Paris Saint-Germain, Arteta publicly urged his squad to be "ambitious" and "swift" in the market.

Whether Arsenal has fulfilled those aspirations is still up for debate. The only forward acquisition that materialised was Christos Tzolis, who arrived from Club Brugge as a low‑cost addition to the front line.

Meanwhile, Arsenal allowed three key attackers – Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus – to depart, and also sent promising teenager Ethan Nwaneri out on loan to Borussia Dortmund. In effect, four forwards have left and only one has arrived. This net loss of personnel has sparked concerns that the Gunners may be short‑changed not just in quality but also in sheer numbers.

**Left‑wing concerns** The left flank is now a particularly fragile area. Tzolis is the sole recognised specialist for that position until the January window opens.

Both Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke can provide cover, but they are also expected to rotate with Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka across the attacking line. Eze demonstrated his versatility after coming off the bench against Aston Villa, but neither he nor Tzolis possess the blistering pace and one‑on‑one dribbling that Arteta historically favours. They are not the type of players who habitually make runs behind the defence in the way Martinelli did. Tzolis does have a reputation for durability.

In his final season with Club Brugge he logged just under 4,400 minutes – roughly 900 minutes fewer than the combined total of Martinelli and Trossard for Arsenal last term. To match that output, he would need to feature in about ten more games this season, a workload that could test his stamina and the squad’s depth. **Centre‑forward dilemma** The centre‑forward position is equally precarious.

With the departures of Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokerés, and Gabriel Jesus now off the books, Arsenal are left with one fewer striker than they had in 2025‑26. Earlier this summer, Artetta admitted that the title race had slipped away in November when the team relied on Mikel Merino as the sole available centre‑forward. Merino can fill in, but he is not a long‑term solution.

The club has attempted to mitigate this shortfall without splashing out on another traditional striker. The £75 million signing of Bruno Guimarães adds a new dimension to the attack; the Brazilian excels at breaking down opposition defences and made an immediate impact on his Premier League debut against Aston Villa. His ability to drop deep and link play could partially offset the loss of a conventional number nine.

**Youth prospects stepping up** Another potential resource is 16‑year‑old Max Dowman, who is expected to assume a more prominent role after a largely peripheral spell last season. Dowman could operate on the right wing or as a No 10, providing flexibility while Eze and Madueke are deployed elsewhere. His development will be closely monitored, as the Gunners have historically trusted home‑grown talent to fill gaps.

**Overall squad depth** Beyond the attack, Arsenal boast considerable depth across the board. The club overhauled its medical department during the summer, aiming for improved injury resilience for key figures like Saka and Ødegaard. Defensive reinforcements, prompted by William Saliba’s long‑term injury, include the signing of Ezri Konsa and the continued presence of Jurrien Timber and Ben White, despite their own injury histories. The right‑back position now has a quartet of options – White, Konsa, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié – a depth level that many Premier League rivals would envy.

**Context within the league** Arsenal’s transfer activity must also be viewed against the backdrop of rival clubs. Manchester City have made headline‑grabbing acquisitions, bolstering their midfield with Elliot Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Enzo Fernández. Chelsea, meanwhile, not only poached Rogers but also strengthened their goalkeeping, defensive, and experience sectors. Both clubs now appear well‑equipped to challenge for the title, leaving Arsenal with a slightly weaker attacking profile.

**Will the gap narrow?** The true test will arrive on the pitch. Arsenal’s ability to compensate for the loss of four forwards with a single new signing will hinge on tactical flexibility, the emergence of youth players, and the fitness of the squad. If Arteta can extract high‑intensity performances from the likes of Tzolis, Eze, Madueke and Guimarães, the Gunners may still pose a serious threat.

However, the reduced numbers up front could prove costly in a league where squad rotation and depth are essential. Fans and pundits alike will be watching closely as Arsenal face Chelsea in their next Premier League fixture, a match that could provide an early indicator of whether the Gunners’ attacking deficiencies have been adequately addressed or if they will struggle to keep pace with their rivals throughout the season.