Arsenal Eye John Stones as Saliba Backup Amid Barcelona's Striker Search

The World Cup is barely in the rear-view mirror, but Europe’s heavyweights are already scrambling to fix problems that were brutally exposed on the biggest stage.

Arsenal turn to a familiar face

At Arsenal, the concern is clear and urgent: William Saliba’s back.

The French defender battled through the World Cup carrying an issue that flared up in France’s semifinal defeat to Spain. Now, with fears he could miss months of action, Arsenal are exploring a solution that would have sounded improbable not long ago.

John Stones.

According to reports in England, Arsenal are considering a move to bring in the former Manchester City defender as a free agent this summer, using him as short-term cover for Saliba. Stones, 32, left City at the end of his contract earlier this month and suddenly finds himself one of the most experienced centre-backs on the market.

For Mikel Arteta, the attraction is obvious. He knows Stones well from his days as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at City, having watched him evolve from an erratic talent into a composed, ball-playing defender trusted in the biggest games. Arsenal’s system demands that same calmness in possession and positional intelligence. Stones ticks those boxes without needing a long adaptation period.

This is not a marquee rebuild signing. It’s a patch, a calculated move to steady a title-chasing defence jolted by Saliba’s setback. But in a summer where value and readiness matter as much as star power, Stones is being viewed inside the Emirates as a realistic, pragmatic option.

Barcelona’s Plan B up front

In Spain, Barcelona’s search is happening at the other end of the pitch.

Julián Álvarez remains the preferred target to lead their line, but the Catalan club are bracing for the possibility that the Atlético Madrid and Argentina forward might prove unattainable. As that reality looms, the shortlist behind him is starting to take shape.

TEAMtalk reports that initial interest in Chelsea’s João Pedro and AFC Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi has cooled, with both Premier League moves considered unlikely. Instead, Barça are now weighing up Dusan Vlahovic and Darwin Núñez as alternative centre-forward options.

The appeal is straightforward: experience, presence, and no transfer fee.

Vlahovic, now a free agent after leaving Juventus, offers the profile of a traditional No. 9 who can occupy defenders and finish ruthlessly inside the box. Núñez, expected to leave Al Hilal this summer, brings a more chaotic, high-energy threat, stretching backlines and attacking space.

Neither has dislodged Álvarez at the top of Barcelona’s wish list, but the club are keeping both in play as they scan a market where finances remain tight and every misstep is costly. They want a striker who can start immediately, carry the physical load of a long season, and still leave room for future reshaping of the squad.

For now, Álvarez is the dream. Vlahovic and Núñez are the safety net.

In London and Barcelona alike, the theme is the same: big clubs, big problems, and very little margin for error as the summer window begins to bite.