Arsenal remain in talks with Viktor Gyokeres.Arsenal remain in talks with Viktor Gyokeres.
Arsenal remain in talks with Viktor Gyokeres. | Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Arsenal remain in the market for a striker this summer but appear to be getting close to a top target.
Andrea Berta continues to work behind the scenes on Arsenal transfer plans for the summer with the arrival of a marquee marksman a number one priority for the London outfit.
The Gunners have fallen well away from the Premier League title race this season, scoring 17 fewer goals than Liverpool. Injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz have not helped matters and served to underline the need for strength in depth should Arsenal want to compete domestically and in Europe next term.
Mikel Merino has been tasked with filling in up top and has managed five league goals since the turn of the calendar year, including one against Liverpool. However a red card now sees Arsenal having to cope without another attacking threat.
Over the weekend, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano claimed that the club had agreed with personal terms with midfielder Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad. The Spaniard has a release clause in his current contract, which led to Romano giving that deal the ‘here we go’ treatment.
Arsenal ‘getting close’ to £59 million transfer coup
The focus for Berta and Arsenal will now turn to a new source of goals. Several names have been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium in recent months. Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak has long been touted as a prime candidate with Jonathan David and Liam Delap also touted as options.
However, it appears that prolific Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres has been made the number one target. The 26-year-old has plundered an eye-watering 52 goals in all competitions this season, including six in eight Champions League outings.
French journalist Sebastien Vidal has shared the latest update on those transfer links. On Monday morning, he claimed: “Viktor Gyokeres is getting closer to Arsenal. An agreement between the player and the Gunners is being found and an offer of €70 million has been sent to Sporting. Manchester United are interested but are losing the race and must react quickly.”
Manchester United competing for Viktor Gyokeres
There's a famous alchemy between Gyokeres and Amorim, with the former Coventry City man excelling under the manager in Portugal. Gyokeres signed for Sporting from Coventry City in July 2023 and the player's agent Hasan Cetinkaya has been outspoken in the fact that Amorim was the reason that deal happened. He told Portuguese outlet Record: "Everyone was waiting for Viktor to sign with a Premier League club.
“I brought Viktor to Sporting for just one reason, and this is also something I said to Mr Amorim when I saw him for the first time. I said it before I even said hello to him: 'I only brought my player here because of you'. Therefore, I only brought Gyokeres to Sporting because of Ruben Amorim.
"There were eight Premier League clubs who made concrete proposals to Coventry and me, which guaranteed more money, more commissions and a higher transfer value than Sporting. I said no to everyone and told Viktor that Sporting was our next destination."
In other news, Arsenal injury blow in boost to Chelsea and Newcastle United.
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