Arsenal are one of the clubs keeping an eye on Freiburg forward Igor Matanovic, though there is no sign at the moment that the Gunners have made an official move for the Croatian attacker. Sources in Germany and England claim that the Gunners, Chelsea, and Manchester United are following the 23-year-old following his strong beginning to the campaign.
Where Arsenal are concerned, reports suggest that the Premier League champions are looking at centre-forward choices given the doubt over Viktor Gyokeres, who has yet to start a Premier League match this season. That interest and report has some basis.
Arsenal officials have observed Matanovic, while Manchester United have had internal talks about him. Matanovic has scored six goals in his first seven outings across all competitions. His previous Bundesliga season yielded 11 goals and two assists in 31 appearances.
What can Matanovic offer Arsenal that Gyokeres cannot?
The reports suggest it is more of a scouting scenario than a serious pursuit; nevertheless, the fact that Arsenal are watching him indicates they trust in his capacity to be better than Gyokeres, or at least, to deliver what the Swede does not. At 23 and 1.94 m tall, Matanovic provides size, aerial ability, and a more classic centre-forward profile.
His own growth has focused on leveraging his physicality, battling in the box, holding up the ball, and involving teammates. His recent stats also point to a striker becoming more and more physically dominant. He currently leads Bundesliga forwards for duels won, possessions won, interceptions, and shots on target. That could give Arsenal something a bit different from Gyokeres and much closer to Erling Haaland at Manchester City.
Gyokeres is far more explosive in transition. His main strengths are his acceleration, powerful ball-carrying, movement into space, and ability to turn defenders before attacking the goal. His pressing and running are also key parts of his value to Arsenal. Matanovic, on the other hand, seems more naturally suited to occupying defenders, challenging crosses and acting as a physical reference point when Arsenal face the deep defensive blocks that have sometimes restricted Gyokeres. That difference matters.
Arsenal does not necessarily need another copy of Gyokeres. They need another way to attack. Matanovic is also significantly younger, giving Arsenal a possible long-term striker rather than another short-term fix. But that comes with an obvious caution: his 15-goal 2025/26 campaign and excellent start to this season do not yet prove that he can replicate those numbers in the Premier League.