Arsenal have explored the possibility of offering Viktor Gyokeres plus cash as part of a bold summer move for Atlético Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, talkSPORT understands.
The Argentina international has publicly informed Atlético that he wants to be sold, with Barcelona his preferred destination.
However, Atlético are reluctant to do business with their LaLiga rivals—having already rejected an £86 million bid and pointed firmly towards his £432 million release clause.
The club were also left furious by a seemingly insincere £129 million offer from Real Madrid earlier in the window.
talkSPORT can reveal that Arsenal raised the prospect of including Swedish striker Gyokeres as a makeweight during initial exploratory talks with Atlético.
While the Spanish side hold an interest in the former Sporting CP star, Arsenal have not yet decided if they are open to a sale, and discussions remain at an early stage.
The Gunners are also tracking Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, with any move for Alvarez considered a separate pursuit. The development comes after Leandro Trossard’s £17 million switch to Beşiktaş was confirmed.
Despite finishing as Arsenal’s top scorer, doubts persist over Gyokeres’s ability to take the Gunners to the next level.
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