Arsenal made its first official bid for the Sporting CP’s striker. The club is now taking the next steps towards making this signing formal. Reports from across Portugal suggest the club has made a proposal of €75 million to get the ball rolling. It also reflect the gunners’ desire to land one of Europe’s most in-form strikers. After several months of speculation, it appears Mikel Arteta views a solid No. 9 as paramount importance. This will elevate Arsenal’s title challenge after a trophy-less reboot in 2024/25.
According to the outlet Correio da Manhã in Portugal, Arsenal’s formal offer is the start of negotiations with Sporting CP’s striker. But their president Frederico Varandas is using pressure on Arsenal into raising its bid since they know he has a €100 million (£85 million) release fee. The club has publicly stated they wish to keep Gyokeres. But they also know that there is significant risk with two weeks left in the summer transfer window for other clubs bidding. In fact, there is a gentleman’s agreement between the player and club that would allow Sporting CP’s Striker Gyokeres to leave for a fee worth about €65 million (£55 million), as previously documented by transfer boss Fabrizio Romano. In view of Sporting’s valuation of the player, Arsenal’s first bid will significantly increase to meet their demands.
🚨 Viktor Gyökeres’ representatives have been very impressed after talks with Arsenal.
They are very happy with what they’ve heard after Arsenal stepped up their interest in the striker.
(Source: @GraemeBailey) pic.twitter.com/EWvceQDqW1
Personal terms have apparently already been agreed. It is said that Gyokeres is excited about the project that Arsenal have under Arteta, including Champions League football. A squad worthy of challenging for trophies. The 26-year-old’s agent, Hasan Cetinkaya, is someone who is very close with Arsenal’s sporting director, Andrea Berta. He has been pivotal in moving talks forward.
Gyokeres’ incredible 53 goals and 13 assists in 51 appearances this season make him a standout candidate. His physicality, link-up play and being able to do it all as a lone striker meets Arteta’s tactical requirements. Team mates like Pedro Gonçalves have all but let slip his exit, commenting at Sportings title celebrations: “They say we won’t be three-time champions without Viktor… we will see”
Arsenal’s interest is also based on practicality. Arsenal were set to pursue Alexander Isak but Newcastle’s unwilling-to-sell and Isak’s £100 million+ transfer fee forced the Gunners to change course towards Gyokeres, who is seen as a more affordable and feasible option.
Manchester United, had emerged as a competing suitor. However the absence of Champions League football and their own financial limitations (particularly with their imminent signing of Wolves’ Matheus Cunha for £62.5 million) have made them an unsuitable candidate. Chelsea, on the other hand, could be a genuine threat now. Sporting can ask for a fee closer to Gyokeres release clause. Moreover, Arsenal feels confident that their project and preceding agreement with the player puts them in good stead.
🚨🇸🇪 Despite public statements, Viktor Gyökeres will surely leave Sporting this summer with a fee already agreed.
Package worth around €65m can be enough to get green light from Sporting as agreed with Gyökeres months ago.
Discussions with top European clubs continue. pic.twitter.com/7jCS1c9Bm3
Financial Fair Play (FFP) comes into play. Arsenal may need to offload some fringe players. Talents like Eddie Nketiah or Reiss Nelson, just to fund the deal, without breaching FFP regulation.
Gyokeres himself would address Arsenal’s aim for a more specialist, reliable scorer instead of internally finding a stop gap in Kai Havertz as an interim striker position. Havertz did reasonably well considering he his hybrid roles. But Arteta wants a specialist goalscorer that can convert chances in tight games, where Arsenal struggled this season. Gyokeres has the ability to play centrally. He can also pull a way from the center as he did with Sporting.
On a tactical level, Gyokeres would easily fit into a more expected use of a player in a 4-3-3 system, with Havertz dropping into the left-sided midfield, and an alternative option of 4-2-3-1 system where Gyokeres could effectively use his poaching credentials by capitalizing on the advanced play of Declan Rice and potential new recruit for Arsenal, Martín Zubimendi.
Getting Gyokeres would be a statement of intent from Arsenal. It covers a key hole in their squad while staying ahead of their competitors in an oversubscribed market. A number of obstacles still remains, particularly the financial force of Chelsea. But the Gunners’ willingness to negotiate early and the player’s preference of what Arteta is trying to do, makes them the favorites. For Sporting, knowing they will lose their talisman was always on their way. If Arsenal offers Sporting a price they are willing to accept, the transition will be smooth. All eyes will be on North London to see if the deal takes Arsenal further along the path to Premier League glory.
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