The best clubs in the world always set about improving whilst they're at the top and not on the way back down after a period of success.
Arsenal continue to improve under Arteta
Though Arsenal don't have the silverware to show for how well Mikel Arteta has done since taking over in the Emirates Stadium dugout, it's clear that the North Londoners have been getting incrementally better under his tutelage.
The Arsenal board have backed him to the hilt too, with signings such as Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino and Viktor Gyokeres all coming in for not insignificant transfer fees.
In the main, it could be said that the new players have settled in brilliantly, and on the face of it, Gyokeres' 16 goals and three assists in all competitions would appear to be a fine return.
However, his goals aside - 11 in the Premier League is at least five more than any of his colleagues - there's been little to get excited about.
Awful figures from Gyokeres
Depending on the point of view, one could reasonably argue that if a goalscorer is scoring goals, he needs to do little else, but in a team such as Arsenal, where every player is expected to put in a shift and be able to pass the ball well as an absolute minimum, the Swedish international has been found wanting.
Though he'd impressed the Gunners enough with his output at Sporting for them to part with €63.5m/£54.8m, there was always a question mark as to whether Gyokeres could do the business at an elite club, with respect to the Portuguese outfit, Coventry, Swansea, St. Pauli and Brighton.
To give some perspective on his all-around game, he's made just 379 passes in all competitions, and only 236 of them have been successful, for a completion rate of 62.3% - the worst in the entire first-team squad.
Even David Raya managed 66.3% completion, and he made 1197 passes (793 successful).
Gyokeres is also at the bottom of the pile when it comes to one-on-one duels, having only won 32.5% of them. Perhaps even more striking for a player who is supposed to be good in the air, he's won just 30 of his 102 aerial duels contested.
He does have the best shot conversion rate in the squad (22.9%); however, his 70 shots are fewer than Bukayo Saka's total attempts (97) and only three more than Eberechi Eze, who has played 239 fewer minutes.
Alvarez to swap Madrid for North London?
It's perhaps with that record in mind that Arsenal are reported to be running the rule over Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez.
Though the official line from the Rojiblancos is that the Argentinian isn't for sale, they are said to be interested in Barcelona's Ferran Torres, which would suggest that there's every chance the World Cup winner moves on - for a price.
The Catalans and the Gunners are both long-term Alvarez admirers, though it's likely to take at least €100m to even get Atleti to the negotiating table.
With Antoine Griezmann already having announced his departure to MLS this summer, too, Diego Simeone can ill afford to lose his number 19 at the same time.
Contract terms a stumbling block
New contract terms of €10m per season, which the player's representative has apparently requested, appear to be the major stumbling block for Alvarez continuing at the Metropolitano after the conclusion of the current campaign.
In any event, it's blindingly obvious why Arteta would like to bring him to North London.
He already has Premier League experience and proved his worth to Man City when Erling Haaland was out injured.
Since being allowed to join Atleti, surely a decision that City look back on and regret, he has scored 46 goals and provided 17 assists in 101 games in all competitions, almost a one-in-two return goals-wise.
Would Arsenal be better off without a 'target man'?
In terms of his passing accuracy, it's never dipped below 78.5% in Madrid, and has gone as high as 91.1% - a clear upgrade on Gyokeres' return.
During this season's Champions League run, he's posted his worst figures for one-on-one successes, of 32.7%, which is still marginally better than the Swedish strikers' best showing.
110 of his 181 total shots have been on target, with a conversion rate of just 14.8% in this season's LaLiga. It's perhaps the one area of his game that he'll need to improve upon.
Aside from Olivier Giroud, over the past 6-8 years or so, Arsenal have always got value in having a player at the club who's not necessarily regarded as a target man.
Alvarez has the skill set and work rate to dovetail brilliantly with the players already in situ at the Emirates Stadium, and it really wouldn't be a surprise to see him usurp Gyokeres if Arsenal make good on their interest.
