Arsenal will look to climb alongside Manchester City at the Premier League summit when they face Aston Villa on Monday, but Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta also have one eye on Tuesday’s transfer deadline.
The Gunners are expected to sell two players before the window shuts, with Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus both set to depart.
Arteta addressed Jesus’s absence from training ahead of the trip to Villa: “It’s something to do with the numbers that we have in the squad at the moment and the way we’re managing that kind of situation individually with all the players – they have some personal situations.”
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the former City star is being ‘pushed’ to find a solution in the coming days, with the Gunners keen to not let him run down his contract into its final 12 months.
Martinelli meanwhile is expected to complete a €65m (£55.6m) move to Al Hilal, though the manager says the winger will not be forced out against his will.
“That’s another personal situation that we’re dealing with. I think everybody knows and recognises how much we love Gabi. Whatever the outcome is, it will be because everybody agrees to that.”
The Arsenal boss confirmed he has spoken to both players individually about their futures: “Yes, for sure. Those conversations go both ways, but I’m very satisfied with how these conversations went because I know what is in each other’s hearts, and the words that come through in those conversations make me really happy.
“But it’s inevitable at some point you need to have certain discussions and say certain things that sometimes are tough.”
Julian Alvarez to Arsenal transfer update
With those exits expected to go through, Arsenal are being tipped to bring in a new attacking player before deadline day. Arteta was pushed on Julian Alvarez specifically, but refused to be drawn: “Don’t go there. I’m not going to make any comment about any player that is not with us.”
His reluctance to discuss the Argentine comes despite Atletico Madrid confirming they will not sell Alvarez to Barcelona, in a statement that leaves Arsenal as his most realistic route out of the Spanish capital. Atletico’s board said Barcelona have not acted “in an ethical and professional manner,” effectively shutting the door on that move and handing Arsenal a significant boost in their pursuit.
Now, according to David Ornstein, Arteta’s interest in Alvarez is more than just admiration, as the Gunners boss actually called the Argentina World Cup winner personally to discuss a move. The striker still has his heart set on Barcelona however, with the journalist revealing to TNT Sports he has so far rejected any advances from North London.
It’s easy to see why Arsenal are so determined to get a deal for Alvarez over the line. The 26-year-old has scored freely wherever he has played, from his title-winning stint at Manchester City to his move to Atletico, and he offers a level of intelligence and selflessness that few forwards in Europe can match.
|
Club |
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
|
CA River Plate |
122 |
54 |
31 |
|
Manchester City |
103 |
36 |
19 |
|
Atletico Madrid |
107 |
49 |
17 |
He presses relentlessly, drops deep to link play, and still finds a way to be the most clinical man on the pitch when it matters, leading pundit Karen Carney to call him “the most complete centre-forward in football” earlier this year.
For Arsenal, he represents exactly the kind of upgrade Arteta has been chasing to provide competition for Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres. Comfortable playing off the shoulder, dropping into pockets, or leading the line alone, Alvarez would give this Arsenal side a different dimension entirely, someone capable of both creating and finishing at the very highest level.
If a deal for Alvarez can’t be completed before Tuesday’s deadline, Arsenal do have a fallback option, with a shock late move for Marcus Rashford entering the rumour mill in recent days.