How Arsenal could make a Vinicius Junior-level signing before the deadline

For Arsenal, even if they have started the new season at breakneck speed, this has been a difficult summer.

Performances at the beginning of the campaign have been excellent but Mikel Arteta would be kidding himself if he didn’t think his side looked light in attack.

It hasn’t been for the want of trying. Morgan Rogers was the number one target before he moved to Chelsea to the tune of £117m instead.

They have explored a move for Bradley Barcola too, but he will be heading to Liverpool for £120m. Then there was the Vinicius Junior story.

Arsenal hoped and prayed that he would chose to move to London. He stayed in Madrid instead.

How Arsenal have bounced back from their Vini Jr setback

Time and time again, setbacks in the transfer window have threatened to derail the positivity Arsenal had generated by winning the Premier League.

The feeling is that the Gunners need an elite forward and they have worked hard to correct that but to no avail. The need for a new winger has only been increased after the departure of Gabriel Martinelli.

Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

Having missed out on the Vini, several options have been explored including the aforementioned Barcola, as well as Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye.

Yet, in the face of potentially being replaced, Christos Tzolis has stepped up and then some. He may not be at the same level as the iconic Brazilian but it may not be too long before he’s being talked about as one of the best wingers in the world.

After all, Tzolis scored 22 goals and assisted 29 for Club Brugge last term. He’s a productivity machine. There were doubts regarding whether the Greek would be able to sustain those numbers in England but the early signs are extremely positive.

For now, there is no threat of the summer arrival being replaced. He assisted two goals against Manchester City in the Community Shield and then ran Coventry City ragged last Friday.

Those performances have perhaps convinced Arteta he does not need to sign an elite winger. Instead, the Gunners are aiming to sign another striker.

How Arsenal could seal a Vini-level signing

Arsenal might well be happy with how Tzolis has progressed in the opening weeks of his Arsenal journey but can you imagine if they had actually got their hands on Vini?

He’s one of the best players in the world, one of the biggest icons in the game right now. He has superstar aura. He would have been the biggest signing in Premier League history.

Reuters/Nathan Ray Seebeck

Alas, he will be staying in the Spanish capital. It’s been a blow for Arsenal but should they complete a move for another big-name in the remaining days of the window, all will be forgotten about.

Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen continues to be linked with a sensational move but the player is not pushing for an exit right now.

The same cannot be said for a certain Julian Alvarez. It feels like a complex saga on paper but really, it’s rather simple. Alvarez wants to leave. Alvarez wants to joins Barcelona.

Yet, Atleti do not want to sell him to another Spanish side, leaving Arsenal as his only choice should he depart the Metropolitano.

The latest on the saga comes from club insider AFCamden who took to social media on Wednesday evening to reveal that “Mikel Arteta and Julian Alvarez spoke again in the last 24 hours” about a potential move. Following that meeting, there is a more confidence than there was last week that he could come to London.

So, why could this be a signing that’s on Vini Jr’s level? Well, it is safe to say that the Brazilian would have made an enormous impact on the left flank. To put it simply, he would have been a huge upgrade. He scored 22 goals and supplied ten assists last term.

Those numbers would be totally transformative for an Arsenal team whose forward line attracted criticism in 2025/26.

For that reason, Alvarez could be similarly transformative, albeit from a central position. The Gunners have a rich history of centre-forwards, from the likes of Thierry Henry, Robin van Persie and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the modern-era.

Yet, in recent years, that hasn’t necessarily been the case. After Aubameyang’s departure they have fielded the likes of Alexandre Lacazette, Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Jesus, Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz up top.

The less said about Nketiah’s performances the better. The less said about the injury records of Jesus and Havertz the better too. As for Gyokeres, despite his 21-goal haul last season, he left plenty to be desired with his hold up play.

As a result, Alvarez could transform the level of Arsenal’s attack. Compared to the five names who have tried and ultimately failed to ever really become the leading marksman under Arteta, the Argentine would be a colossal upgrade.

REUTERS/Thomas Peter

This is a player who scored 20 goals last season. It’s a player who bagged 29 in 2024/25. What’s also attractive for the boss is that he has experience of English football too.

Even when he was playing as the back-up to Erling Haaland at Manchester City, Alvarez still impressed. During his final year in the north west of England, the 26-year-old netted 19 times and supplied 13 assists too.

He’s simply an elite forward player and after missing out on Vini Jr, is the best available player on the market that Arsenal could sign. His numbers in recent years are very similar.