How Arsenal can line up in dream scenario if Julian Alvarez makes record-breaking transfer

Mikel Arteta's starting XI is set to reach a whole new level compared to last season

After all the speculation surrounding Arsenal’s prospective transfers heading into the summer, we now have a good idea of how Mikel Arteta’s squad will look for the 2026/27 season.

Arsenal moved shrewdly in the transfer window, with sporting director Andrea Berta unwilling to overspend on several top targets. At times, that approach caused frustration and even led the Gunners to miss out on players, including Morgan Rogers, Sandro Tonali and Jeremy Monga.

But their patience was rewarded as they instead made financially savvy signings like Christos Tzolis for £34million, Bruno Guimaraes for £75m and Ezri Konsa for £55m. The result of that, along with selling the likes of Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, Christian Norgaard, Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira, is that the Premier League champions still have plenty of wiggle room as they look to land their primary target late in the window.

Their priority is widely known to be Julian Alvarez, whose future is still in doubt after making it clear he wanted to leave Atletico Madrid at the start of the summer, albeit to join Barcelona. Berta and Mikel Arteta have waited patiently to see if the Argentina striker would change his mind and warm up to the idea of returning to England, given his known preference to remain in Spain.

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A running theme throughout Arteta’s six-and-a-half-year tenure has been his constant tinkering and improvements to the back-line, even when it appears as if Arsenal’s defensive options are already plentiful. It’s a clear indication of the manager’s belief that defences win titles - something he proved last year by winning the Premier League, despite his forwards either misfiring or missing the majority of the season with injuries.

The north Londoners once again moved to sign a hybrid full-back / centre-back this summer, this time in Konsa, albeit only because of a long-term injury to William Saliba. Saliba’s back issue is set to rule him out for several months and Arteta couldn’t risk replacing the best central defender in Europe with youngsters Cristhian Mosquera and Marli Salmon for a big chunk of the season.

Nevertheless, Saliba, along with the injured Jurrien Timber, are both expected to be some of the first names on the team sheet when they return to the fold, even with Ben White’s impressive resurgence at right-back. The left side of the defence is even more straightforward.

Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori are two of the best players in their respective positions and a key part of why Arsenal boast the most formidable defence in the country. And, along with their valiant defending, both offer a unique threat going forward - Calafiori with his marauding runs and Gabriel with his set-piece threat.

Behind them, David Raya is an irreplaceable member of the team. The Spaniard has quickly developed into one of the most reliable goalkeepers in Europe, as shown by his three Premier League golden glove awards on the bounce.

Moving further forward, the midfield has been somewhat of an issue for Arteta throughout his time at Arsenal. Despite Martin Zubimendi’s strong start to last season, the balance looked off when he was paired with Declan Rice, with neither midfielder necessarily possessing the required attributes to control the tempo of games or carve open low blocks.

But, since Myles Lewis-Skelly replaced Zubimendi in the starting eleven late last term, the Gunners look far more fluid, and the 19-year-old’s coolness in possession fits perfectly with Rice’s defensive prowess. The pair are expected to form the base of the midfield for much of the season, though new arrival Guimaraes is perfectly adept at sharing minutes and slotting into either of their roles.

Captain Martin Odegaard will occupy the right attacking midfield position he so often thrives in. With the Norwegian maestro seemingly back to his best, he is expected to keep Eberechi Eze out of the starting line-up as long as he is fit and playing with confidence.

Moving on, the forward line was arguably Arsenal’s biggest weakness last season. With star player Bukayo Saka and first-choice striker Kai Havertz missing much of the campaign, Arteta too often had to rely on the chaotic trio of Martinelli, Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke, which goes some way towards explaining their struggles to score open-play goals.

However, Saka has made a fast start to this season on the right flank following an Achilles problem he had to manage throughout the World Cup. On the opposite flank, Tzolis has blown the Emirates faithful away early in his Arsenal career and is a clear upgrade on Martinelli and Trossard.

The Greece international already looks to be one of the bargains of the summer, averaging a goal or an assist per game since he joined. Tzolis’ intelligence, movement and decision-making make him the standout option on the left wing, while Eze is expected to play there more often as second option this season.

Finally, we move on to the name every Arsenal fan wants to see announced as a deadline day signing - Julian Alvarez. The gulf in quality between the 26-year-old World Cup winner and Gyokeres was clear to see when the Gunners faced Atletico at the Metropolitano last season.

Alvarez, having worked under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City previously, has the kind of footballing intelligence and off-ball movement that makes him a menace to any defence. He has the ability to drop deep like Mikel Merino and Havertz to keep play ticking, but can also finish like Gyokeres in front of goal and from distance.

He is the perfect all-round package - the true difference maker that Arteta has been crying out for after Champions League exits to Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain in recent years. The only question is whether the player himself wants to play his football at the Emirates Stadium, given his extended family were said to have visa issues and could not stay with him during his time at City.

Arsenal will hope Alvarez will make the right footballing decision for them and himself, having seen his move to Barcelona blocked and his own Atletico fans jeer him last weekend. If he signs for the champions, there is no doubt that his sheer ability would elevate Arteta’s side to Champions League favourites.

Here is how the Gunners could line up if they complete a dream deadline day deal for Alvarez:

GK: David Raya

RB: Jurrien Timber

RCB: William Saliba

LCB: Gabriel Magalhaes

LB: Riccardo Calafiori

RCM: Martin Odegaard

CM: Declan Rice

LCM: Myles Lewis-Skelly

RW: Bukayo Saka

ST: Julian Alvarez

LW: Christos Tzolis