New name emerges on Arsenal striker target list as Gunners could now go for £80m hitman – report

Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez has emerged as a transfer target for Arsenal this summer, and the Gunners are monitoring his situation after he claimed will decide on his future after the Olympics, according to the Daily Mirror.

The Argentina international has largely played second fiddle to Erling Braut Haaland, and he has revealed he could be open to moving on.

Man City manager Pep Guardiola has responded, saying he will never prevent an unhappy player from leaving, and Arsenal are keeping tabs on the development at the Etihad Stadium club.

The Premier League reigning champions have not decided to sell Alvarez, but they are expected to demand around £80 million, including add-ons, for the services of the 24-year-old.

Alvarez has bagged 36 goals and 18 assists in 103 games since joining Man City in July 2022 from River Plate, with his return of 20 goals in just 44 Premier League starts very impressive.

He fits the profile of the type of striker Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta wants, but meeting the demands of the Sky Blues could prove tricky.

The North Londoners will need to sell more players to balance the books if they want to land the 2022 World Cup winner, but they are currently in talks to sign Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Arteta, which could make completing a deal for a potential £80m signing difficult.

Man City could also have reservations over selling such a player to a team that has challenged them strongly for the title over the last two seasons.

Strengthening a direct competitor is the last thing they want to do, but it cannot be ruled out if Alvarez expresses an interest in joining Arsenal and the right fee is brought to the table.

The Gunners are reportedly likelier to go for a wide forward who can go central rather than sign an out-and-out striker, and the Argentine is the perfect man for the job as he can play on both wings, behind the striker and even in central midfield.

However, this could be a very tough deal to get over the line, and the fans will be intrigued to see what comes out of this rumour in the coming days.