Gyokeres remains at Sporting CP for nowplaceholder image
Gyokeres remains at Sporting CP for now | AFP via Getty Images
Arsenal continue to drag their feet in their bid to sign a striker this summer.
Arsenal are still searching for their striker signing after coming into the summer in desperate need of a lead frontman. The Gunners fell far short of their expectations last season with injuries playing a key part, but the Gunners did not plan their squad well, and that paved the way for injuries to cause as much damage as it did.
The Gunners need much more depth going into next season, and they certainly need more than two striker options, especially with Gabriel Jesus out until later in the calendar year with an ACL injury. Mikel Arteta may have resisted signing a striker in the past, but he knows it is a non-negotiable this summer, and sporting director Andrea Berta is already working on recruiting one.
It’s already clear that the two primary options are RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, but Arsenal are yet to strike a deal for either despite talks. Both clubs know there are limited top-class striker options available this summer, and so both are wisely sticking to their guns when it comes to their asking prices.
On the Gyokeres front, Record have reported that Arsenal are unwilling to increase their ‘first and only’ offer of £47million plus £8.5million in bonuses. Sporting say that offer was not official, and it’s reported that the Portuguese club have an agreement with Gyokeres’ agent to pay commission if an official offer of more than £51.2million is received.
Reports have claimed that Sporting want as much as £68.3million to sell Gyokeres, but Arsenal are nowhere near that amount so far, and they appear determined to get any closer to it.
Arsenal’s confusing logic
Arsenal’s priorities are already a little confusing this summer. They need a striker more than they need a player in any other position. Despite that, they are willing to pay £53million to sign a midfielder in Martin Zubimendi, but they are hesitating when it comes to paying big money for a striker.
It’s not that the Gunners should necessarily splash big to sign Gyokeres. if they prefer Sesko, then go and pay for him, but there are very few high class striker options available this summer and Arsenal cannot afford to go into the new season without signing one. Sporting and Leipzig are going to hold strong under the knowledge that Arsenal and others don’t have many other strikers they can sign, particularly with Hugo Ekitike looking as though he will be even more expensive.
Arsenal need to suck it up and pay for whichever striker they prefer before another club sneaks ahead of them and they are left with a sub-standard option again. The Gunners do need to strengthen in a number of other areas, so their desire to save money is understandable, but they cannot afford to drag their feet when it comes to signing a striker, and the logic is even more twisted when you see them agreeing to spend so much on a midfielder.
Arsenal spent £65million on Kai Havertz, so the Sesko and Gyokeres price tags should come as no surprise, but Arteta doesn’t seem to like pressing ahead with striker signings and so far, it has cost him dearly.
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