Arsenal’s first bid for Viktor Gyökeres is on the table, but Sporting are waiting for more, and Chelsea’s interest could force a decision sooner than expected.
Full-page spread from Correio da Manhã’s Mais Sport section, dated 10 May 2025, with a large action photo of Viktor Gyökeres in Sporting’s green and white kit, pumping his fist in celebration. The headline reads: "Arsenal table €75 million bid to sign Gyökeres". A short article on the right confirms Arsenal have submitted a formal €75 million bid, agreed terms with the player, and fear Chelsea may trigger the full €100 million release clause. Sidebar stories tease Benfica vs Sporting and Real Madrid vs Barcelona.
Full-page spread from Correio da Manhã’s Mais Sport section, dated 10 May 2025, headlined “Arsenal table €75 million bid to sign Gyökeres”
Arsenal have reportedly submitted a formal offer of €75 million to Sporting CP for striker Viktor Gyökeres, signalling the start of what could become one of the defining transfer battles of the summer.
The 26-year-old Swedish forward is said to be Arsenal’s top target, and the club has reportedly already reached an agreement with the player on salary and performance bonuses.
The bid, reported by Correio da Manhã, is the first official move from Arsenal, but it may not be the last.
Sporting president Frederico Varandas is understood to view the offer as only an opening. The Portuguese club is holding out for more, hoping Gyökeres’s Golden Boot season will spark a bidding war.
LISBON, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 22: Goal scorer Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting CP before the start of the Portuguese Cup match between Sporting CP and Amarante FC at Estadio Jose Alvalade on November 22, 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)
Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images
Arsenal’s concern is that Chelsea, who have been tracking the striker closely, could step in with a bid that meets Gyökeres’s €100 million release clause in full. That figure would make him Sporting’s most expensive sale ever.
Gyökeres has scored 52 goals in 49 matches this season, including 38 in the league, making him one of the most prolific strikers in Europe.
His physicality, direct play, and ability to carry attacks on his own have made him a standout in Portugal and a natural fit for Mikel Arteta’s system, where a more traditional number nine has long been on the wishlist.
The groundwork for a deal has already been laid. Arsenal’s intention is clear, and Andrea Berta is pushing hard to finalise it, say the reports. But Sporting know the power of timing, and with Chelsea lurking, the price is rising.
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