Ray Parlour Urges Arsenal to Sign £87m Striker as Fears Grow Over Gabriel Jesus Future

Ray Parlour backs Arsenal to sign £87m Julian Alvarez but fears the move could push Gabriel Jesus out as Arteta plans a major striker rebuild.

Ray Parlour has urged Arsenal to make a bold summer statement by signing Julian Alvarez, though he also warns that Gabriel Jesus could depart if a new elite striker arrives — a scenario that might force the Gunners to rebuild their forward line.

Speaking to Metro after Arsenal’s dominant 4-1 North London derby win over Tottenham on 22 February 2026, Parlour made it clear that while the Gunners are competing at the top level again, their attacking depth still needs strengthening.

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This Arsenal striker rebuild now looks set to become one of the defining themes of the 2026 summer window.

Viktor Gyökeres delivered his best performance in an Arsenal shirt against Spurs, scoring twice in a statement derby display.

The brace took his tally to 15 goals in all competitions and offered a timely reminder of his quality as Arsenal continue their Premier League title push, sitting just points behind Manchester City.

His performance eased some concerns surrounding the £64m summer signing from Sporting CP. However, Parlour believes one strong display is not enough to settle long-term questions in attack.

Consistency, not flashes of brilliance, remains the key demand.

Parlour believes Arsenal still lack the attacking depth required to compete with Europe’s elite across multiple competitions.

Drawing comparisons with the Invincibles era, he stressed the importance of having multiple elite forward options to rotate, compete, and push standards daily in training.

In his view, internal competition raises performance levels across the entire squad — not just in attack.

Julian Alvarez named as the ideal signing

Parlour singled out Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez as the perfect addition.

The Argentina international, who previously impressed at Manchester City, has developed into a complete modern forward with pace, intelligence, pressing ability, and elite movement.

Parlour labelled him “fantastic” and believes his age profile, mentality, and tactical fit make him an ideal player for Mikel Arteta’s system.

With Alvarez reportedly valued at over €100m (£87m+), signing him would represent one of Arsenal’s biggest statements of intent under Arteta.

However, Parlour also delivered a warning.

He fears that introducing another elite striker could push Gabriel Jesus towards the exit door. With Jesus entering a crucial phase of his career, regular first-team football will remain a priority.

If minutes become limited, Parlour believes the Brazilian may seek a move elsewhere rather than accept a rotation role.

This creates a difficult recruitment balance — strengthening the squad while managing elite players’ ambitions and expectations.

Arsenal now face a clear decision:

Upgrade aggressively and accept potential squad turnover — or maintain stability and trust internal development.

Gyökeres’ derby performance showed what Arsenal’s current options can deliver. But elite clubs evolve constantly, not emotionally.

Depth, not just quality, defines champions.

Bigger picture under Arteta

This debate goes beyond one signing.

It reflects Arsenal’s next evolution phase:

• Turning title challenges into titles
• Turning dominance into silverware
• And turning progress into legacy

Parlour’s message is simple — championship teams are built through relentless upgrading, not comfort.

The 2026 summer window may shape Arsenal’s competitive future for years.

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