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Mikel Arteta should steer clear of signing ‘extraordinary’ striker for Arsenal ahead of Viktor Gyokeres

Srinivas Sadhanand

Wed 28 May 2025 7:55, UK

Mikel Arteta will be hoping that the summer of 2025 is one where Arsenal finally sign a striker who has the quality to turn them into a devastating attacking force.

Andrea Berta is looking to sign a striker as it seems like the Gunners have come to the conclusion that to win football’s biggest prizes, it is imperative to have a lethal goalscorer up front.

Arsenal are interested in signing Viktor Gyokeres in the summer, who has been a revelation since joining Sporting CP in 2023.

While there may be question marks about how Gyokeres adapts to Premier League football, his time at Sporting is enough to suggest that he could take the English top-flight by storm.

Arsenal should not sign Andrea Berta target Julian Alvarez

However, Arsenal have now been linked with a move to sign Julian Alvarez as well.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is pushing to sign Alvarez and is believed to consider him as a priority target.

But it would be best for the Gunners to continue chasing Viktor Gyokeres’ signature, who scored 54 goals during the 2024/2025 season in comparison to the Argentine’s tally of 29.

Considering Atletico Madrid spent £82 million () to sign Alvarez, it is likely that they would demand a similar fee from Arsenal to sign him — despite Gyokeres being available for £54.7 million in the summer.

Furthermore, while the World Cup winner has impressed in his debut season for Diego Simeone’s side, it is important to remember that before his move to Spain, he did not lead the line for Manchester City on a consistent basis.

In his debut season at Manchester City, Alvarez, who Pep Guardiola called “extraordinary” was mostly viewed as a backup to Erling Haaland and in his final campaign at the Etihad Stadium, he largely played as a number 10.

Gyokeres, on the other hand has been Sporting’s main man up front for two full seasons, scoring a staggering 97 goals in 102 appearances for the Portuguese giants.

With Arsenal also not playing a front two like Atletico Madrid have that has been fronted by Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann, the two-time Premier League winner could very well struggle as a lone striker in their system.

Andrea Berta eyeing £60 million striker apart from Julian Alvarez

Benjamin Sesko has impressed Arsenal as well and he is on Andrea Berta’s shortlist ahead of the summer transfer window.

But even so, Arsenal have reservations about Sesko’s price tag as they may have to pay £60 million to sign him.

Unless Arsenal have the option of signing Alvarez in a cut-price deal, Andrea Berta’s focus should be on sealing Gyokeres’ arrival.