Arsenal have pursued no shortage of attackers this summer. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers seemed to be a done deal until Chelsea pounced, snapping up the Englishman from under the Gunners’ nose. Nico Williams has also been a long-time target for the club; however, there has been very little in terms of movement on that front, and the Spaniard looks poised to remain with boyhood club Athletic Bilbao.
But it was the pursuit of Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr. that truly set the back pages alight with speculation. The Brazilian sensation was rumoured to be unhappy with life at the Bernabeu, and with his contract coming to an end at the end of the season and talks on a renewal seemingly at an impasse, Arsenal were put on high alert. Manager Mikel Arteta and the club’s war room were “monitoring the situation,” and a blockbuster seemed in the pipeline. Then, contract talks resumed, and Vini penned a new six-year deal to remain in the Spanish capital until the eve of his 32nd birthday.
Even without the electric 26-year-old in the squad, online betting sites still make Arsenal the favourites to retain the Premier League title next season. The latest soccer betting odds currently position the defending champions as a clear 6/4 favourite to claim a second straight crown in 2026/27, with Manchester City thought to be the biggest threats to a successful title defense at odds of 3/1. But with no new wingers signed this summer, there can be no denying that Arteta’s squad does look a little light on the flanks.
Long-serving winger Leandro Trossard has departed for Besiktas after three and a half years at the Emirates, leaving an out-of-form Gabriel Martinelli as Arsenal’s sole senior option on the left wing. Greek winger Christos Tzolis has arrived from Club Brugge, but he is an unproven commodity, and while teenager Max Dowman certainly has potential, it still seems too soon to integrate him into a bona fide starting berth.
On the right, Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke ensure that Arsenal have two top-quality right wingers capable of taking the fight to any team both domestically and on the continent. Up front, Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz are the ones tasked with scoring the goals the Gunners need in order to mount a successful title defense, while Gabriel Jesus seems poised to leave the club in the near future.
With all of the above in mind, it seems that one more attacker could well be imperative to Arsenal’s hopes next term. So, who are the club currently being linked with after missing out on Vinicius? Here are the names still being mentioned as potential targets.
Argentinian striker Julian Alvarez has developed into one of the planet’s finest strikers since joining Atletico Madrid from Manchester City two years ago. The former River Plate youngster netted 20 goals in all competitions last season in addition to the 29 he bagged in his maiden campaign at the Metropolitano. Ten of those goals last term came in the Champions League, including a stunning free-kick that would ultimately eliminate Spanish champions Barcelona, but despite that, Alvarez has made his intentions to leave the club crystal clear.
The 26-year-old informed Atleti during the recent World Cup that he wanted to leave, citing Barcelona as his dream destination. The side from the Spanish capital let Alvarez know in no uncertain terms that he wouldn’t be allowed to leave for the Nou Camp due to the rivalry between the two clubs, opening the door for Arsenal, who have long been admirers of the Argentinian.
A deal between the two clubs certainly seems possible, especially as Atleti boss Diego Simeone is a big fan of Gunners striker Viktor Gyokeres, who could be used as a make-weight in any potential deal. The problem is with Alvarez himself and whether he wishes to hold out for a move to Catalonia or whether he’s happy to move to North London instead. He has three weeks to answer that question.
Arsenal have made a habit of signing players from rivals Chelsea in recent years, much to the dismay of Gooners the world over. First, it was Kai Havertz in the summer of 2023, before Noni Madueke arrived two years later. Could the much-maligned Pedro Neto be next in line?
The Portuguese winger had looked like a superstar under former Blues boss Enzo Maresca, starring as Chelsea won the Conference League and the Club World Cup just over a year ago. However, he, much like the rest of the squad at Stamford Bridge, endured a miserable 2025/26 season in which he came in for plenty of criticism from both fans and media alike. Still, even in a down year, he managed to net ten goals and provide a further ten assists in all competitions, numbers that aren’t all that shabby considering the media outcry.
Would Neto be a step up on what Arsenal currently has on the flanks? His pace would certainly provide Mikel Arteta with another option, but whether that alone is worth parting with upwards of £50m for remains to be seen.
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