Former Arsenal midfielder, Emmanuel Petit, has identified Victor Osimhen as a viable alternative for Arsenal should their pursuit of Julian Alvarez not materialise.
Arsenal has been diligently working behind the scenes to enhance their title-winning offence in anticipation of Tuesday’s transfer deadline, with Mikel Arteta eager to secure additional support and competition for Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz.
The Gunners have already experienced a setback with Morgan Rogers opting to join Chelsea this summer, while Vinicius Junior declined a transfer to north London in favour of extending his contract with Real Madrid.
However, the English champions have successfully completed transfers for Bruno Guimaraes, Ezri Konsa, Christos Tzolis, Illan Meslier, and Piero Hincapie in recent weeks.
As the transfer window draws to a close, Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez has ascended to the top of Arsenal’s priority list as Arteta’s primary target.
Throughout much of the summer, Alvarez has been seeking a transfer to Barcelona, but reports from Madrid on Wednesday suggested that the Argentine has begun to seriously contemplate Arsenal as a legitimate option for the first time.
Atletico Madrid swiftly rejected a €100 million (£85.7 million) bid from Barcelona for Alvarez last month and has made it clear that they do not intend to sell to a direct competitor.
Speaking about Alvarez, Petit told Oddschecker, “He’s a beautiful player with great movement and intelligence. He’s got speed, technique, and vision.
“He can score many goals and provide assists. I love his movement.
“It’s hard sometimes to get intelligent players who understand the DNA of the team. Arsenal have a proper DNA on the pitch, and when they buy top players, they have to fit into the system.
“I think Alvarez would be perfect for Arsenal. The way he plays, the way he moves, the way he links up play, and he’s clinical when he gets to the edge of the box.”
Arsenal have been cautiously associated with Osimhen throughout the transfer window; however, it is understood that Galatasaray has dismissed the possibility of acquiring the striker this summer.
While Petit believes that Osimhen does not possess the same ‘quality’ as Alvarez, he is confident that the Nigerian international would ‘offer something unique’ due to his physical presence and ‘strong personality’.
“A different player, not the same quality as Alvarez. He would bring a powerful presence up front,” the ex-Arsenal and France midfielder said of Osimhen.
“He’s fast, he’s a fighter, and he has a strong personality. He brings something different from Alvarez. They are two different options, but I like them both.”
Transfer: ‘He’s fast, strong’ – Emmanuel Petit tells Arsenal to sign Osimhen