Arsenal’s £64 million Gyokeres fee stalls January striker hunt despite Alvarez link

Arsenal paid £64 million for Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres in July 2025, yet former defender Nigel Winterburn says the Gunners will not add another forward in the January window unless Gyokeres departs.

Gyokeres’s mixed start at the Emirates

Gyokeres arrived from Sporting on a record fee and has shown flashes of form, scoring fourteen Premier League goals in his debut season. However, his performances have been inconsistent, and doubts linger over whether his technical ability justifies the price tag.

Winterburn noted that Gyokeres looked uncomfortable at the start of last season but improved in the latter months, adding that Arsenal’s defensive style may have hindered his adaptation.

Alvarez remains out of reach

During the summer, Arsenal were heavily linked with Argentine forward Julian Alvarez, who had dazzled in Portuguese football with Sporting, netting ninety‑seven goals in one hundred and two games and helping the club secure back‑to‑back league titles.

Alvarez ultimately rejected a move to Barcelona and the Gunners’ interest faded after Gyokeres failed to cement a regular place,

Winterburn’s view on the January market

Winterburn told Metro that, “When you spend that much money expecting an out‑and‑out striker, questions will always be asked about whether it was the right signing.” He added that unless Gyokeres leaves, he sees no reason for Arsenal to spend further on a striker in January.

He compared Gyokeres and Alvarez on a goalscoring basis, saying there is no significant difference, but highlighted the rarity of true world‑class strikers compared with the likes of Erling Haaland and Harry Kane.

Winterburn also dismissed speculation about other targets, stating, “If he doesn’t leave, I don’t see Arsenal bringing anybody else in.” The former three‑time league champion concluded that the club’s forward‑line decisions will remain under scrutiny as long as Gyokeres stays on the periphery.