Arsenal have moved to shut down talk of Viktor Gyokeres being used as a makeweight this summer.
The Swedish striker remains firmly in Mikel Arteta’s plans, and reports of a swap deal for Julian Alvarez have been firmly played down.
The speculation originated in Spain. El Chiringuito claimed Atletico Madrid had agreed to sell Alvarez to Arsenal for around €50m plus Gyokeres, a package worth €150m. That report, however, has been widely disputed by more measured sources.
Arsenal set to keep Gyokeres despite Alvarez swap talk
CaughtOffside report that Arsenal are not looking to offload Gyokeres, and that the striker himself is not pushing to leave just a year after arriving.
There are no talks taking place, with the player and club aligned on preparing for the new season together.
The numbers explain Arsenal’s reluctance. Gyokeres scored 21 goals in his debut campaign, contributing to the club’s first league title in 22 years.
He actually outscored Alvarez last season, which makes parting with him after one year a hard sell.
There is some flexibility, though. Transfer reporter Ben Jacobs suggested Arsenal might not reject an approach “out of hand” if an offer hit a certain figure. The clear sense, however, is that any sale remains highly unlikely.
The Alvarez pursuit faces bigger obstacles anyway. The Argentine has told his agent he only wants to join Barcelona, while Atletico insist he is not for sale. A straight swap, always a rarity in football, looks fanciful.
Even club greats are wary. Thierry Henry, a huge admirer of Alvarez, cautioned against the exchange.
“Gyokeres gives Arsenal something different, power, presence, aggression and goals,” he said. “If you’re talking about a straight swap, I’d be very careful.”
For now, Arsenal’s focus is elsewhere in attack, with Morgan Rogers and Bradley Barcola among the names under consideration for the left flank.
