Gyökeres vs Álvarez: Why Arsenal could turn to Atlético Madrid’s star striker

Although transfer speculation surrounding Julian Álvarez has quietened in recent weeks, Atletico Madrid know the situation is unlikely to stay that way for long. Once Argentina’s World Cup campaign comes to an end—whether in the semi-finals or the final—the future of their star forward is expected to dominate the headlines once again.

The Spanish giants have already made it clear that they have no intention of strengthening Barcelona, while reports have also suggested they were less than impressed by Real Madrid’s interest in the Argentine attacker.

Julian Álvarez’s Future Remains Uncertain

Despite Atletico’s firm stance, the biggest challenge facing Diego Simeone and the club’s hierarchy is the player’s own ambitions.

Reports indicate that Julian Álvarez is open to leaving the Metropolitano and has identified Barcelona as his preferred destination. While the manner in which the situation has unfolded has divided opinion, Atletico’s priority is now deciding whether it makes sense to keep hold of a player whose long-term future appears to lie elsewhere.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has reportedly added further pressure by suggesting the Catalan club’s interest will not remain indefinitely, leaving Atletico facing a difficult decision over one of their most valuable assets.

Arsenal Enter the Race

If Atletico ultimately decide that selling Álvarez is the best solution, their preference would almost certainly be to move him outside of LaLiga, avoiding the prospect of strengthening a direct rival.

That scenario could open the door for Arsenal.

According to recent reports, the Gunners remain long-term admirers of the Argentine international and are exploring ways to structure a deal. One possibility could involve Viktor Gyökeres being included as part of the negotiations.

The Swedish striker enjoyed an impressive goalscoring campaign during the 2025/26 season, finishing as Arsenal’s leading scorer with 21 goals in all competitions—at least 10 more than any other player in Mikel Arteta’s squad.

However, while Gyökeres delivered in front of goal, questions remain over other aspects of his game.

Do the Numbers Raise Concerns Over Gyökeres?

A closer look at the underlying data paints a more complicated picture.

Among Arsenal’s regular starters, Gyökeres attempted just 486 passes, comfortably the lowest total in the squad. For comparison, Mikel Merino completed 731 pass attempts despite missing part of the campaign, while Gabriel Martinelli registered 613.

Even more concerning was Gyökeres’ 63.79% pass completion rate, the lowest of any first-team player, highlighting his limited involvement in Arsenal’s build-up play.

His effectiveness in individual duels also raises concerns.

Although only four Arsenal players contested more one-on-one situations than Gyökeres’ 351, his 33.62% success rate was again the lowest in the squad, suggesting he struggled to consistently beat opponents.

Perhaps most surprising was his record in aerial contests. Despite being one of Arsenal’s most physically imposing forwards, Gyökeres won just 44 of his 138 aerial duels, leaving him with 94 lost aerial battles—the highest total in the squad.

Limited Defensive Contribution

Defensively, the statistics tell a similar story.

Gyökeres finished the season with a respectable 62.5% tackle success rate, but that figure came from an incredibly small sample size.

Across the entire 2025/26 campaign, the Swedish striker attempted only eight tackles, winning just five. The only Arsenal player to record the same number was Ethan Nwaneri, who played just 515 minutes, compared to Gyökeres’ 3,479 minutes.

Taken together, the numbers suggest that while Gyökeres remains a clinical goalscorer, his overall contribution outside the penalty area leaves room for improvement.

Would Álvarez Be a Better Fit for Arsenal?

Any potential swap deal remains firmly in its infancy, with negotiations understood to be at a very early stage.

There is also no indication that Gyökeres would welcome a move to Madrid, while Atletico would still need to decide how the Swede would fit into Diego Simeone’s plans alongside Alexander Sørloth should Álvarez depart.

Nevertheless, from Arsenal’s perspective, the attraction is obvious.

Álvarez offers relentless pressing, intelligent movement, technical quality and an exceptional work rate—qualities that align closely with Mikel Arteta’s tactical philosophy. While his arrival would alter the way Arsenal build attacks, his versatility and all-round game arguably make him a more complete centre-forward than Gyökeres.

As the World Cup draws to a close, Álvarez’s future is expected to become one of the biggest stories of the summer transfer window, with Arsenal among the clubs monitoring developments closely.