He’s the next Aubameyang: Arsenal want to seal move for £87m forward ASAP

This Arsenal squad could go down in history by the end of the season, with only a few matches standing between them and glory in the Premier League and the Champions League.

This has been a long and, at times, tiring journey for Mikel Arteta‘s side, but this Arsenal team is nothing if not persistent, and they have now moved within closing distance of not one but both of the biggest prizes imaginable.

Is this the peak? Well, no, actually. There’s no question that it’s been a slog at times, and the forwards in particular have left something to be desired across the term.

Now, Arteta and Emirates technical director Andrea Berta are ready to move and take this incredible outfit to another level.

Arsenal hoping to wrap early deal for £87m forward

Love him or hate him, there’s no question that Viktor Gyokeres has grown into an important frontman for Arsenal this season. Having scored 21 goals from 52 appearances, the Swede has been potent, if not phenomenal.

Still, he’s been let down by several strugglers in Arsenal’s attack, the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli struggling to hit the high notes.

Arteta needs something different, a bit of flair, a forward who could still impact Arsenal’s success in front of goal.

Well, according to Football Transfers, Arsenal are in dialogue with Julian Alvarez‘s representatives, amid reports that the prolific striker is angling for an exit from Atletico Madrid this summer.

Curiously, Arteta has a secret plan to utilise Alvarez in a slightly unconventional fashion, pulling him away from the centre-forward berth he has made his own in Spain and using him more dynamically. In that, perhaps, he could become the Gunners’ new Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

They will want to get it over the line as swiftly as possible, with an early summer deal mooted, particularly as Paris Saint-Germain are also sniffing around. As for a fee, he’s set to cost in excess of €100m (£87m).

Why Alvarez can be Arsenal’s new Aubameyang

The 26-year-old Alvarez has grown into quite the talisman for Atletico Madrid, scoring 49 goals and supplying 17 assists across 106 matches for the Spaniards.

They would have expected bang for their buck, in fairness, having spent £81m to bring him over from Manchester City in 2024.

Could he be the new Aubameyang? Well, there are a few indicators that this might be the case, with the Argentina international having developed into “the best forward in the world right now“, according to journalist Roy Nemer last season.

Moreover, Football Transfers’ report seems to indicate that Alvarez would be signed with a view toward unleashing him on the left flank.

This is a position that the right footer is accustomed to, one of many areas he had filled in under Pep Guardiola’s wing at Manchester City before moving to Atletico and making the centre-forward position his own.

Reaching the same standard that Aubameyang set in his Arsenal pomp won’t be easy. The Gabonese striker scored 92 goals across just 163 outings for the Londoners, winning the FA Cup and tearing opponents to shreds with blistering pace and trickery on the ball.

He often played down the wing, accommodating Alexandre Lacazette. Perhaps, in this fashion, we would see Alvarez combine with the more physical style of Gyokeres.

Alvarez has title-winning Premier League experience and has now developed into one of the best in the world in the Spanish capital.

He’s an innate goalscorer with a dynamic and expansive playing style. He fits the bill, and would emulate Aubameyang in making an instant impact, guiding the Gunners to more silverware.