Arsenal's Gyokeres card in the Julián Álvarez plan

One of Arsenal's boldest moves of the summer window has drawn the squad's own striker into the process. According to the report, the London club have explored offering Sweden forward Viktor Gyokeres as part of negotiations for Atlético Madrid's Argentine striker Julián Álvarez. The idea, discussed in preliminary talks, has not yet turned into a firm strategy; the possibility is described as remaining at an exploratory stage.

The motivation behind the idea is clear: the fee wall. Atlético are reported to want more than £100 million for Álvarez, while Arsenal have been reluctant to exceed £90 million. Including Gyokeres could narrow that financial gap; the Spanish giants are said to admire the Swedish striker and have fans of him within the club.

Internal opinion, however, is divided. Regarding Gyokeres, who joined from Sporting for around €70 million (with add-ons) last summer and has scored 21 goals under Mikel Arteta, the head coach and sporting director Andrea Berta are said to believe the Swede still carries significant development potential at the Emirates — the reason they are reluctant to include him in the negotiation.

On Álvarez's side, meanwhile, the picture is murkier. According to Reuters, the Argentine star has told Atlético of his desire to pursue a new challenge but has not publicly stated a clear preference for Arsenal. Barcelona are also reported to return to the race after the World Cup with a swap-element offer of their own — a sign of a possible Arsenal rival and that the file will remain busy throughout the summer.

Source: talkSPORT
Image: Sofascore