It can be said with certainty Robin van Persie not held in high esteem arsenal supporter. Who can blame them?

The Flying Dutchman had an outstanding record at the Emirates Stadium, scoring 59 goals in his final two seasons in north London.

However, we all know what happened next. Van Persie was unhappy with the direction the club was taking and subsequently left. His destination? Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United.

Typically, the center forward scored in his first game against the Gunners and went on to win the title Premier League title. For his part, Van Persie was ecstatic. For Arsenal fans, this is torture.

Since his departure, the Gunners haven’t had many rampant forwards. I thought of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but before he was Mikel ArtetaThe Spaniard lacked a regular goalscorer.

Enter Julian Alvarez.

The latest news on Arsenal’s pursuit of Julian Alvarez

The winter window has been a quiet affair for the Gunners, even though reports did emerge on transfer deadline day that they had Reportedly under negotiation With Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali’s entourage.

italian Still a summer target But perhaps their top priority is Alvarez. However, that will likely depend on what happens during the remainder of the campaign. Viktor Gyokeres now begins to find form. No other Premier League player has scored more goals in all competitions in 2026 (6).

So, Alvarez may not be a necessity, but it’s hard to deny that he would be a good signing. It was reported in January that Arsenal have started negotiations Sign the player ahead of a summer transfer.

An £80m price tag is said to have been placed on the Argentinian’s shoulders, and the one most likely to give the Gunners the advantage in the race is that Andrea Berta actually brokered his move from Manchester City to Atletico Madrid.

Berta, who played for Atletico Madrid, maintains a good relationship with the Spanish club, which could be crucial if any negotiations take place.

The latest move is Arsenal are still in talks with his representativesalthough currently, Barcelona would be his favorite destination should he leave the Metropolitano.

How Arsenal saved millions on Alvarez

If Arsenal win a ton of trophies in May, it will become very difficult to truly strengthen Arteta’s squad.

It may also depend on how the forward line performs between now and the climax of the game. It would not be surprising if Gabriel Jesus left north London after a poor spell with injuries over the past year. He scored twice against Inter Milan, but otherwise his performance was quite disappointing.

For Gyokeres, his resurgence in 2026 has been nothing short of remarkable. He’s in the best form of his Arsenal career so far and is finally starting to show why Berta and Co spent £63.5m Get him back in English football.

His state coincides with his return Kai Havertz. Between them, it’s likely Alvarez won’t be needed this summer.

With the German back on the pitch, Joe Kress’s long-term future is in doubt. We all know how much Arteta likes Havertz, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he becomes the main option in attack again.

However, while the £65m signing did come off the bench as a striker and scored against former club Chelsea, he has thrived in Martin Odegaard’s role upon his return.

Havertz was originally signed as a midfielder and it’s great to see him performing so well in the second forward role behind Jock Reis. He already has a good working relationship with the Swedes.

He provided Arsenal’s summer signing with a goal against Kairat Almaty and was also a contributor to the former Sporting CP striker’s first goal against Sunderland last weekend. So while it initially looks like they’ll be vying for the same spot, they do have a world in which they can coexist.

However, there is a feeling that the Germany international remains the first choice in big games where more connection and support is needed.

Reported earnings of £275,000 per week According to David OrnsteinHe has proven his worth to the club in recent years, scoring 15 goals in the 2024/25 season despite missing half the season through injury.

But what makes him so good? Well, in the words of Paul Merson, he is a “Bergkamp-like player”. Former Arsenal defender Bakari Sagna even called him “like Robin Van Persie”. We can see where they are coming from.

Like Bergkamp, ​​even like Alvarez, he is more than just a goalscorer. In fact, Havertz handed out seven assists in his debut for the London Red Team. He has as many assists (2) as he has scored in the 2025/26 season.

However, he is closer to Robin van Persie and his style of play is certainly similar. Like the former Arsenal captain, he is a striker who thinks like a creator. The Dutchman has provided 55 assists in his Arsenal career. They also have like-minded techniques and styles.

The way they connect to games is similar, and the aesthetics really help. They are both left-footed players and move in a similar way to get into goal-scoring position.

The way he danced next to Roberto Sanchez against Chelsea illustrated this perfectly. The same goes for the game against Sunderland. Havertz sprinted towards goal before dragging the ball onto his left foot just outside the penalty area, just as Van Persie has done in the past. All that was missing was a shot, inches from the post.

Alvarez will undoubtedly be a mythical signing this summer, but perhaps they already have their own long-term solutions in the form of Joe Kreis and Kai Havertz.

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