Arsenal's Attack Revamp: Barcola and Álvarez on the Radar
Arsenal’s wide revolution has already started. Leandro Trossard, scorer of some of last season’s most important goals, has been moved on to Besiktas. Gabriel Martinelli, once untouchable, now finds his future under the same unforgiving spotlight.
This is not tinkering. It is a reset of the attacking hierarchy.
Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal hierarchy are weighing up major surgery in the forward line as they look to free up funds and squad space for another push at home and in Europe in 2026-27. The feeling inside and outside the club is clear: there is room, and real need, for an upgrade in a key area of the pitch if the champions are to turn domestic dominance into continental control.
Barcola in the frame
One name refuses to go away. Bradley Barcola.
The French winger, who lit up the World Cup alongside Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise, already knows what it means to break Arsenal hearts. He played his part as PSG crushed the Gunners’ Champions League hopes last season, helping the French giants to a second straight European crown.
Yet for all that pedigree, he is not a guaranteed starter at Parc des Princes. Competition is brutal. Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia crowd the wide areas, leaving Barcola fighting for minutes despite his rise with club and country.
He is under contract until 2028, but that does not close the door. With the 2026 summer window open and big clubs circling, PSG may at least listen to serious offers. Arsenal, with their long history of French stars, are being urged to test that resolve.
Mikaël Silvestre, who knows both Arsenal and French football inside out, sees an obvious fit. Speaking to GOAL, the former defender made no attempt to hide his enthusiasm for a deal, describing a move as the right step for both Barcola and the club given the winger’s performances for PSG and France, his age, and Arsenal’s ambitions to retain the title and finally conquer the Champions League. From his side, he called it a “green light…100%.”
The logic is compelling. A young, versatile wide forward, already proven at the highest level, dropping into an Arsenal side that wants more pace, more incision, more goals from the flanks. It would also send a message: the champions are not standing still.
Premier League battle for a new star
Arsenal, though, are not alone at the table.
Liverpool are hunting for the eventual successor to Mohamed Salah, a search that has defined their long-term planning for several windows. Manchester United, back in the Champions League and short of reliable firepower, are also in the market.
At Old Trafford, Barcola is being mentioned in the same breath as Desire Doue. Dwight Yorke, speaking to GOAL, was blunt about what he would do in Michael Carrick’s position: go and get one of them. Both, he pointed out, can operate on either flank and slot into any attacking structure. In his view, if Marcus Rashford moves on or continues to drift, United should pounce on Doue or Barcola as dependable, productive wide forwards.
That kind of endorsement underlines the scale of the race. Arsenal may have the pull of a title-winning project and a clearly defined playing style, but Liverpool and United can match them on prestige and financial muscle. If Arteta wants Barcola, he may have to move quickly and decisively, especially with Trossard already gone and Martinelli’s status unresolved.
Alvarez: the £120m question
Barcola is not the only name on Arsenal’s attacking wish list.
The club are also mulling a huge move for Argentina star Julián Álvarez, now at Atletico Madrid after his spell at Manchester City. Fresh from featuring in the 2026 World Cup final alongside Lionel Messi, Álvarez fell just short of a second world title but enhanced his reputation as one of the most relentless forwards in the game.
Any deal would be enormous. Atletico could demand around £120 million for a player who has become central to their plans. That figure would test Arsenal’s budget and their resolve, especially with other areas of the squad also requiring attention.
Silvestre, though, is convinced about the player. He highlighted Álvarez’s impact with Argentina, placing him just behind Messi in terms of influence, and pointed to the difficulty of winning trophies in Atletico’s demanding environment. To him, Álvarez looks fiercely loyal, and there are doubts over whether the striker is ready to move again, but his performances this season lead Silvestre to one conclusion: he would be a “great signing” for Arsenal’s frontline, particularly alongside Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres.
The idea is tantalising. Gyökeres as the powerful, direct focal point; Álvarez buzzing around him, pressing, linking play, finishing. Barcola or another elite winger stretching the pitch outside them. It is the kind of front line that could sustain a title defence and frighten Europe.
For now, though, it is all on the drawing board. Trossard has gone. Martinelli waits. Barcola weighs his options. Álvarez continues to score for Atletico.
Arsenal know they cannot sign them all. The question is simple and ruthless: which move will turn a strong squad into a truly unstoppable one?
