%20rotate(-8.06)%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22336.19%20136.81%20330.16%2094.25%20326.06%2071.19%20326.44%2071.13%20335.22%2093.54%20352.29%20134.52%20373.95%20131.46%20362.7%2052.01%20350.02%2053.8%20356.05%2096.36%20360.15%20119.42%20359.77%20119.48%20350.99%2097.08%20333.91%2056.09%20312.25%2059.15%20323.51%20138.6%20336.19%20136.81%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22402.91%2059.3%20412.36%20126.02%20427.17%20123.92%20417.72%2057.21%20431.59%2055.24%20429.79%2042.51%20387.23%2048.53%20389.04%2061.27%20402.91%2059.3%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22463.51%20118.77%20458.69%2084.71%20474.68%2082.44%20479.51%20116.5%20494.36%20114.4%20483.11%2034.95%20468.26%2037.06%20472.96%2070.25%20456.96%2072.52%20452.26%2039.32%20437.4%2041.43%20448.65%20120.88%20463.51%20118.77%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22540.5%20107.87%20538.77%2095.68%20518.91%2098.49%20515.77%2076.29%20535.63%2073.47%20533.93%2061.5%20514.07%2064.32%20511.11%2043.42%20530.98%2040.61%20529.25%2028.42%20494.53%2033.34%20505.78%20112.78%20540.5%20107.87%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22299.03%20155.17%20301.29%20171.58%20542.78%20138.39%20540.5%20121.97%20299.03%20155.17%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
Viktor Gyökeres has been reported as a possible option for Arsenal to offer to Atlético Madrid in a potential deal for Julián Alvarez, but the club owe it to him not to use him in any move.
The Swede joined the Gunners just one year ago and had a good debut season in North London as he helped his side win the Premier League title and reach the finals of the Champions League and Carabao Cup.
However, his time in the English capital could already be up if his club do opt to use him in a part-swap deal for Alvarez, but this is not an approach they should take if they are to make a move for the Argentinian.
Arsenal owe it to Viktor Gyökeres not to swap him for Julián Alvarez
🚨 @garyjacob:
— Eduardo Hagn (@EduardoHagn) July 23, 2026
Arsenal are prepared to offer a partial swap deal involving Viktor Gyökeres in exchange for Julián Alvarez. 🇦🇷🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/ZkZIAHoybg
Alvarez has been heavily reported as being Arsenal and Mikel Arteta's main target throughout the summer transfer window and despite Atlético Madrid's CEO Miguel Angel Gil confirming he is not for sale less than three weeks ago, the links to the North Londoners and Barcelona are continuing to thrive.
The Argentine's preference is to move to Barcelona, but Atléti don't want to sanction a sale to a La Liga rival, meaning if he is to leave, the Gunners could be his most likely destination, but his arrival would be very costly.
Valued at €120million by Transfermarkt, his release clause stands at almost €500m so Arsenal would have to throw plenty of cash at Atlético to get any potential deal over the line, but there is still no expectation of his club budging.
That's where Gyökeres comes in as a potential makeweight in any possible deal. The Gunners are reportedly open to the idea of offering the Swede as part of a swap for Alvarez, but that would be a huge betrayal of what he has done for the club.
In the 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons, Arteta's side failed to get over the line in their title challenges, finishing second each time, and many pointed their lack of a clinical goalscoring striker as being the primary reason.
Gyökeres was brought in from Sporting last summer as the answer to that problem and his signing proved to be crucial as Arsenal finally went that one step further to win the Premier League title for the first time 22 years, and his contributions were a crucial factor.
The Sweden international scored 14 goals in 36 league appearances to help fire his side to glory and 11 of those came in games where he opened the scoring, netted more than once or nicked the only goal.
His first goals came when he scored a brace in a 5-0 win against Leeds and he then opened the scoring in a 2-0 victory at Burnley. Gyökeres struck the winner from the penalty spot in a 1-0 triumph away to Everton and also broke the deadlock late on in a 2-0 win against the Toffees in March.
Gyökeres netted braces in a 3-0 victory over Sunderland and a 4-1 success at Tottenham before striking twice and assisting Bukayo Saka's goal during a 3-0 win over Fulham.
Go back a year or two and without the Swede's involvement, those results could have been entirely different. It is clear how much he influenced the Gunners' title success by popping up with goals when it mattered, something no other player had really done at previous crucial moments.
Some have labelled Gyökeres a flop for only scoring 21 times in 55 games across all competitions, but the reality is for his first major season in England (ignoring his short and uneventful spell with Brighton), that is a good return on the £55m Arsenal spent to bring him from Sporting just one year ago.
Alvarez would be an incredible addition to Arteta's side, arguably an upgrade on his Swedish counterpart and could transform them from one-time title winners to serial victors, but signing him wouldn't be particularly smart if it means losing the number 14.
Selling or swapping a player who was so crucial to ending over two decades of hurt for a fellow striker whose first choice isn't even to join Arsenal would be obscene. Gyökeres has so much more to offer the Gunners and his brilliance will continue to shine through and improve in the upcoming season and after his contributions last campaign, the club owe it to him not to swap him for Alvarez.
Add us as a preferred source on Google