Arsenal's Summer Strategy: Trossard Departure and Barcola Interest

Leandro Trossard’s exit from Arsenal felt inevitable the moment the season ended, but it still lands with a jolt. A winger who scored big goals in big moments has been allowed to walk out of north London, bound for Besiktas, and with him goes another piece of Mikel Arteta’s attacking puzzle.

His departure leaves more than a vacancy on the left. It sharpens the focus on Gabriel Martinelli and whether the Brazilian still fits the manager’s long-term vision. Arsenal are European champions and Premier League title holders, but they are ruthless now. Sentiment does not survive in squads built to dominate.

Martinelli’s future is suddenly a live topic. Arsenal are weighing up whether a sale could unlock both funds and space for a new wave of firepower. The left side of the attack, once a position of comfort, now looks like an area ripe for an upgrade – the kind of upgrade that can tilt tight Champions League ties and keep a title defence on track in 2026-27.

Barcola: The winger who hurt Arsenal – and now tempts them

Bradley Barcola knows exactly how to wound Arsenal. He helped do it.

The French winger played his part in Paris Saint-Germain’s back-to-back Champions League triumphs, with his performances in 2025-26 contributing to the Gunners’ European heartbreak. On the biggest stage, alongside Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise at the World Cup, he showed he belongs among the elite.

Yet he is not a guaranteed starter at PSG. Far from it. Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia crowd the wide positions, turning every team sheet into a fight for survival. Barcola is 23, under contract at Parc des Princes until 2028, but that logjam means serious offers will not be dismissed out of hand this summer.

The 2026 window is open and the market is watching. Arsenal, a club with a long and successful history of turning French talent into superstardom, are being urged to move decisively.

Mikael Silvestre, who once wore the Arsenal shirt himself, believes the fit is obvious. Speaking to GOAL, in association with talkSPORT Bet Online Slots, he did not hesitate when asked if Barcola would be a smart addition to Arteta’s title-winning group: “That would be an obvious choice for both the player and the club to go for.

“For Bradley on what he's done with PSG, what he's done with the national team, the time of his career, still young, and what Arsenal is trying to build. Retain the title, try to win the Champions League. It's a green light on my side, 100%.”

Silvestre’s argument is simple: Barcola is proven at the highest level, still has room to grow, and fits the age profile of a squad built to compete for years, not months.

Premier League queue forming for French star

Arsenal, though, are not alone at the front of this particular shop window.

Liverpool are staring at the looming end of the Mohamed Salah era and scouring Europe for a successor who can carry the attacking burden at Anfield. Manchester United, back in the Champions League and desperate to avoid another false dawn, want more punch in the final third.

Former United striker Dwight Yorke has already nailed his colours to the mast. Speaking to GOAL, he pointed straight at Paris: “Bradley Barcola or Desire Doue. I’d go for one of them if I was Michael Carrick. It’s as simple as that. They can both play down the left side, they can play down the right side, they can play wherever the attack needs them to.

“If Marcus Rashford doesn’t want to stick around, and who knows where his head is at, go and get Doue or Barcola. Those are the two players you should go get. You want good attacking players, solid players who are going to produce the goods on the field, so go and get one of those players.”

That is the reality of this market. Any hesitation from Arsenal invites rivals to pounce. Barcola is not just a luxury signing; he is a potential cornerstone for multiple English giants.

Alvarez: The £120m question for Arsenal’s attack

While the debate over wide options rumbles on, Arsenal are also circling a very different type of forward.

Julian Alvarez, now leading the line for Atletico Madrid, has emerged as a serious target. The Argentina international shared a World Cup final stage with Lionel Messi in 2026, chasing back-to-back global crowns, and has since grown into one of Europe’s most complete modern forwards.

Atletico could lose him for around £120 million, a fee that would instantly place him among the most expensive players in Premier League history. For Arsenal, it would be a statement as loud as any they have made under Arteta.

Silvestre sees the appeal. Asked by GOAL whether Alvarez would be the perfect addition alongside Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres, he did not play down the Argentine’s stature: “Below Messi for Argentina, he's the player that has been the most impactful.

“Playing for Atletico Madrid, it's hard to get things over the line to win trophies. It looks like it's a player that is, I would say, very loyal. I don't know if he's ready to move. But what performances he's shown this season, he would be a great signing.”

That loyalty is the one potential obstacle. Alvarez has embraced the Atletico cause, grinding through tight games and narrow wins in a system that rarely flatters attackers. Yet his output has cut through that tactical straitjacket, which is exactly why Arsenal are interested in dropping him into a far more fluid attacking structure.

A ruthless summer ahead

All of this points to a ruthless summer in north London.

Trossard has gone. Martinelli may follow if the right offer lands. Barcola is on the radar, Alvarez too. Behind the headlines, the calculation is cold: how do you turn a title-winning, Champions League-chasing squad into a side that expects to lift both trophies, not just dream about them?

Arsenal have already climbed back to the top. The next step is staying there while Europe’s heavyweights reload around them. Whether it is Barcola flying down the flank, Alvarez leading the line, or both, the decisions made in this window will echo deep into 2026-27.

The champions have the platform. Now they must decide just how bold they are willing to be.