Arsenal's summer transfer window has closed without the elite attacker Mikel Arteta craved, leaving genuine questions about whether the Premier League champions have the forward firepower to defend their title.

Julian Alvarez will remain at Atletico Madrid after a summer of speculation that ultimately ended with the Argentine pursuing a move to Barcelona rather than returning to England. Arsenal waited patiently in the background, but Alvarez never showed real interest in joining the Gunners. He follows Vinicius Junior and Morgan Rogers in rejecting a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer.

Four out, one in

What makes the situation more pressing is how many attackers Arsenal allowed to depart. Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Jesus all left the club, while Ethan Nwaneri joined Borussia Dortmund on loan. The only recognised front-line addition was Christos Tzolis, signed from Club Brugge.

Arteta, speaking after the Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, called for Arsenal to be