Julian Alvarez will not be joining Arsenal this summer; the Argentine forward has opted to stay at Atletico Madrid after a protracted transfer saga that also saw him flirt with a move to Barcelona. Consequently, Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta has missed out on the marquee striker he had earmarked as a key addition to his attack. The saga surrounding Alvarez unfolded throughout the summer window.
After a failed attempt to force a transfer to Barcelona, the player ultimately decided to remain in Spain, leaving Arsenal on the back foot. Earlier, Arteta had urged his club to be "ambitious" and "swift" in the market following the Champions League final loss to Paris Saint-Germain, but the outcome suggests that the Gunners fell short of those aspirations. Arsenal entered the window with Morgan Rogers as their primary target for the front line. However, Chelsea swooped in with a £117 million bid that Arsenal deemed excessive, forcing the London club to look elsewhere.
The next big name on the list was Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior, but the Brazilian star chose to stay at the Spanish giants, leaving Arsenal without a high‑profile forward acquisition. The Alvarez episode persisted right up to the transfer deadline, but the Argentine never expressed a genuine desire to relocate to the Premier League. The only forward Arsenal managed to bring in was Greek striker Christos Tzolis, who arrived from Club Brugge. This limited activity in the attacking department stands in stark contrast to the departures that occurred over the same period: Gabriel Martínelli, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus all left the club, and promising teenager Ethan Nwaneri was loaned out to Borussia Dortmund.
In effect, Arsenal have lost four attacking players and added just one. This raises a pressing question: does the squad now lack sufficient depth and quality up front to compete for the title?
The left‑wing position is now particularly thin. Tzolis is the only recognized specialist for that role until the January window, and while Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke can provide cover, they are also expected to rotate alongside Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka in other attacking slots. Eze demonstrated his versatility when he came 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 also lack the instinct to make runs behind the defence, a hallmark of Martínelli’s style. Can Tzolis shoulder the left‑wing responsibilities alone for most of the season? Those familiar with the Greek forward note his remarkable recovery rate – he can play three days after a full match without a dip in performance. Last season he logged just under 4,400 minutes for Club Brugge, roughly 900 minutes fewer than the combined minutes of Martínelli and Trossard for Arsenal in 2025‑26.
To match that output, Tzolis would need to feature in about ten more games than he did last term, a workload that could test his stamina. Another area of concern is the centre‑forward role. With Kai Havertz and Viktor Gökärés sharing duties up front, the departure of Gabriel Jesus leaves Arsenal one striker short compared with the previous season. Earlier this summer, Artetta admitted that the title race seemed to slip away in November when the Gunners had only Mikel Merino available as a makeshift striker.
Merino can fill the role, but he is not a natural centre‑forward. The decision to let Jesus go appears puzzling, especially given his limited involvement in 2026. Arsenal have attempted to offset this loss by signing Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimarães for £75 million. While Guimarães is primarily a deep‑lying playmaker, his ability to break lines and drive forward adds a new dimension to Arsenal’s attack, offering a different kind of threat than a traditional striker.
The club also has a young prospect in 16‑year‑old Max Dowman, who is expected to take on a larger role after a largely peripheral season last term. Dowman could operate on the right wing or in a No 10 position, providing additional flexibility when players like Madueke and Eze are deployed elsewhere.
Overall, Arsenal still possess considerable squad depth, with at least two players for most positions and three in certain areas. Their medical department received a major overhaul over the summer, which should improve the availability of key figures such as Saka and Ødegaard.
This could indirectly benefit the forward line by ensuring the creative engine remains healthy. Defensively, the Gunners addressed a weakness exposed by William Saliba’s long‑term injury by signing centre‑back Ezri Konsa. With Jurrien Timber and Ben White also prone to injury spells – White, for instance, struggled against Aston Villa – the additional cover at right‑back is valuable. The back‑up defensive unit, featuring White, Konsa, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié, could comfortably serve as a first‑choice back four for many Premier League sides.
Meanwhile, rivals Manchester City have bolstered their midfield with signings such as Elliot Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Enzo Fernández, while Chelsea, after snatching Rogers, reinforced their goalkeeper, defence and experience across the squad. Both clubs now appear well‑equipped to challenge Arsenal for the title. In summary, Arsenal’s transfer window has left the attacking department thinner than many expected.
With four forwards departing and only one arriving, the Gunners may find themselves stretched both in terms of quality and sheer numbers. The upcoming fixtures, starting with the clash against Chelsea on Sunday at 4.30 pm on Sky Sports, will provide an early test of whether Artetta’s side can cope with these shortages or if the gap between Arsenal and their rivals has indeed narrowed.