Arsenal ready to sacrifice top star in blockbuster Julian Alvarez transfer deal

Christian Tzolis was recently confirmed as an Arsenal player for £34m, but Alvarez is still at the top of the Gunners' list. However, the reigning Premier League champions' interest in Alvarez is so immense, reports understand they would be willing to sacrifice Gyokeres if it brought Alvarez to north London.

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According to the Times, Arsenal want to offer the Swede to Diego Simeone's side as part of a player-plus-cash offer for the Argentinian World Cup winner. Last summer, Gyokeres moved to the Gunners from Sporting and had a mixed debut season.

He contributed 21 goals and three assists in 55 appearances in all competitions, a more than respectable showing, but not one which triggered the same excitement as the 54 goals and 13 assists he fired in during his final campaign for Sporting.

That campaign persuaded the Gunners to fork out around £64m on the Swedish international, who scored one goal and made two more at the World Cup. After the Champions League final loss, Arteta made it clear his side needs to bring in more elite players if they are to keep on winning major trophies.

He said: "We’ll [have to] start to make some very important decisions if we want to reach another level. We’re going to have to show that ambition.

"We are more than capable of doing it, but it’s going to demand being very, very ambitious, very fast and very smart.”

So far, the transfer window has been difficult for Arteta's side. They were blind-sided by Chelsea suddenly bidding £117m to sign Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers after several weeks of negotiations with the Midlanders.

Bradley Barcola of Paris Saint-Germain is also understood to be on Arteta's transfer list. Meanwhile, Arteta may also be in the market for new defenders with William Saliba set to undergo back surgery this summer.

A move for free agent and England World Cup star John Stones has been mentioned, while Ezri Konsa from Villa has also been identified as a potential target. Bruno Guimaraes of Newcastle United is also at the top of their agenda, particularly with Declan Rice struggling with his neural hamstring injury at the World Cup.

Arsenal's Premier League title defence begins on August 21st, when they host newly promoted Coventry City.