Paul Merson says it is strange that Mikel Arteta did not try to bring Julian Alvarez to Arsenal from Manchester City two years ago. The Atletico Madrid forward is among Arsenal’s primary transfer targets this summer.
The 26-year-old has emerged as one of Europe’s most lethal strikers since departing City for Atletico in the summer of 2024 in an £81.5million deal. The Argentine has netted 49 goals and provided 17 assists across two campaigns in all competitions, prompting interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Arsenal.
Yet, Alvarez was already a known quantity during his spell at City, having played under Pep Guardiola between 2022 and 2024. During that period, he scored 36 goals for the Etihad club while claiming two Premier League titles and the Treble.
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Now, with reports linking Arsenal with a move worth in excess of £100m this summer, Gunners legend Merson is concerned as to why Arteta did not pursue the World Cup winner more aggressively when it became clear he wished to leave City – as he had done with Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko in 2022.
Merson, speaking exclusively on behalf of Historic Newspapers, home to the world’s largest private newspaper archive and personalised newspaper gifts, said about signing Alvarez: “I’d go and get him tomorrow morning. I’ll go and pick him up and bring him home. He’s up there with the best of the best. He’s an unbelievable player. That would be a signing and a half.
“But my worry is Arteta didn’t bring him in when he left Manchester City, I found that strange. If they get him in, they’ll win it again next season. It’s between Arsenal and Liverpool next season. I don’t think anyone else stops Arsenal.”
Alvarez’s three performances against the north Londoners in this season’s Champions League certainly set pulses racing among fans regarding his suitability to lead the attack, with £64m summer signing Viktor Gyokeres having delivered mixed results.
However, despite Merson’s reservations over Arteta’s failure to pursue Alvarez sooner, there were a number of valid reasons behind his eventual move to Atletico. As a fellow Argentine, Diego Simeone immediately struck up a strong rapport with the player, which proved instrumental in persuading him to make the switch to the Spanish capital.
More significantly, Alvarez left City to step out of Erling Haaland’s shadow – there was no certainty that he would play ahead of Kai Havertz, in whom Arsenal had invested heavily the previous summer, at the time. There was also the matter of City’s reluctance to strengthen a direct rival, as the sales of Jesus and Zinchenko had previously done, making it difficult to pull off the transfer.
Merson also offered his backing for two additional Gunners targets – Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali and Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi. He said of Tonali: “I’ll go and get him from Newcastle too if they want. I’ll pick him up too. Definitely.”
Regarding Kroupi, the 1989 title winner said: “He’s a very good prospect so I’d sign him. He’s not going to get in the team at the moment but I’m a big fan of his.”
Tonali was linked with an Emirates move in January and could push to leave Newcastle, given their expected lack of European football next season. Kroupi, meanwhile, scored the goal against City last week which handed Arsenal the title for the first time in 22 years.
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