Arsenal are focused on signing Mikel Merino right now but Mikel Arteta may be tempted to bring in another attacker this month.
The Premier League season is looming large now but so is the end of the summer transfer window.
We are now less than a month away from the transfer window slamming shut and Arsenal are looking to get business done.
David Raya has signed permanently after a superb loan spell last season and Riccardo Calafiori signed from Bologna last week.
Those two deals will certainly help Arsenal moving forward and another move is in the pipeline.
HITC understands that Mikel Merino has rejected a new contract with Real Sociedad – and wants to join Arsenal this summer.
That would certainly bolster Arsenal’s midfield options with a proven, experienced signing but fans may still fancy another attacker.
Arsenal running out of time to land Julian Alvarez
Kai Havertz emerged as Arsenal’s first-choice striker and hit 13 Premier League goals in his first season with the club.
Gabriel Jesus has struggled for consistent goals in the Premier League though and Eddie Nketiah has been targeted by Marseille but his future remains unclear.
Arsenal fans would no doubt love to see another striker arrive but RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko snubbed a move to North London earlier this summer.
HITC understands that Arsenal have taken an interest in one forward – Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez.
The Argentinian has cut a rather frustrated figure of late and has spent most of his summer away from City at Copa America and the Olympic Games.
Arsenal raided City for Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus in 2022 and there may be a temptation to pounce for Alvarez too.
Alvarez is a versatile attacking player, capable of playing up front, out wide or as a number 10.
Phil Foden is certainly a fan of Alvarez, hailing him as ‘magical’ whilst speaking to BBC Sport after a win over RB Leipzig last season.
“Magical. Julian has been top this season. He is someone we look to now to score the big goals. He came on and changed the game and he is a big player for us,” said Foden.
That could appeal to Mikel Arteta and it’s easy to imagine Alvarez thriving under the Spaniard having shown his quality under Pep Guardiola.
There is one issue though – Arsenal are running out of time if they want to strike a deal for Alvarez.
HITC understands that Atletico Madrid are now ‘confident’ of signing Alvarez as City demand around £70million for his signature.
Diego Simeone has already signed Alexander Sorloth this summer but now wants Alvarez too.
Pep Guardiola surely relieved
If Arsenal are going to raid City for Alvarez, they will need to come up with a hefty offer and convince him to snub the move to Spain.
City have shown that they will sell players if they want to move on; look at Jesus, Zinchenko and even Cole Palmer.
All of those players were sold to Premier League rivals with City taking the stance that they will sell wherever as long as the money is right.
Pep Guardiola may be a little relieved if Arsenal don’t step in though.
The last thing Guardiola needs is Arsenal strengthening even more, having only just beaten them to the Premier League title last season.
Guardiola may outwardly portray being comfortable with such a move but he would surely prefer Alvarez to be in Madrid rather than in North London.
A move to Atletico is advancing rapidly, no doubt to Guardiola’s relief, and the ball is now in Arsenal’s court with a major late push needed to hijack this move.
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