Arsenal's pursuit of a new striker has taken a hit as Viktor Gyokeres is reportedly keen on a move to Manchester United. Despite failing to score against the Gunners in Tuesday's Champions League match with Sporting CP, which saw Arsenal triumph 5-1 away from home, the Swedish international seems uninterested in joining Mikel Arteta's side.
Arsenal, who have been linked with a new forward for some time, with Kai Havertz currently their main option, may not need to worry about impressing Gyokeres. The 26-year-old is rumoured to be eager to reunite with his former manager Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.
However, an agreement is said to prevent this from happening in January. Under Amorim, Gyokeres scored an impressive 66 goals in 68 appearances.
Despite these rumours, Gyokeres has not publicly expressed his intentions. "It's not something I think about, nor something I give any importance to. It's just rumours, nothing concrete," he told Swedish outlet Fotbollskanalen.
"Of course, I want to finish the season at Sporting, I'm enjoying my time there. I don't feel stressed about making a change in the future. We'll see when the time comes."
Arsenal's pursuit of striking talent has hit a snag with Gyokeres' preferred destination causing complications. The Gunners have their eyes on Newcastle's Alexander Isak, monitoring his situation closely as he remains under contract at St James' Park until 2028.
Barcelona, having shifted focus from Gyokeres, are now reportedly preparing a substantial bid for the Swedish star come summer, potentially ramping up the competition for Arsenal. With Edu's recent departure as sporting director, any move by Arsenal for Isak is pending the appointment of a successor.
Meanwhile, Newcastle's financial concerns, highlighted in their last transfer window, could influence their dealings with Isak, who has not been offered a new deal. Eddie Howe commented on the complexity of Isak's situation in October, noting that while he isn't deeply involved in contract talks, the club must navigate carefully due to Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
"That's a slightly more complex situation," said Howe about Isak's contract. "Regarding contracts, I'm not involved in those discussions day to day. With Alex, he's got a long contract anyway at the football club and we have to be really careful with our spending due to profit and sustainability rules (PSR). It's not a clear-cut situation."
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