Alvarez stays at Atletico - so are Arsenal too short in attack?

Arsenal's summer chase for a marquee attacker ended in frustration, according to Sky Sports. The Gunners reportedly explored moves for Julian Alvarez, Vinicius Junior and Morgan Rogers before the transfer window closed, but failed to land any of them — with Alvarez instead staying put at Atletico Madrid.

Compounding the issue, Mikel Arteta's side sold four first-team forwards during the window, leaving question marks over their attacking depth heading into the new campaign. Sky Sports raises the question of whether Arsenal now find themselves short of firepower up front compared to their title rivals, potentially reshaping how open the race for the Premier League crown looks this season.

While no concrete reason for the failed pursuits is given, the outlet frames this as a missed opportunity for Arteta to add the kind of elite, difference-making attacker many felt the squad needed. With the market now shut, Arsenal will have to rely on their existing options — and whether that proves sufficient may go a long way to deciding their fortunes in 2025/26.