Arsenal are preparing a renewed approach for one of their top targets, according to A Bola (page 16).
The Gunners have been active in the transfer market this week with a couple of acquisitions.
Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard are expected to join the club soon.
A Bola today claim that the Gunners are weighing up a renewed proposal for Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres.
The club made an informal bid of £47 million plus £8.5m in add-ons earlier this month.
They are ‘preparing to return’ to the fold with an increased fixed fee of £51m, having distanced themselves from RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko due to his excessive wage demands.
Sporting CP are still holding out for £68m for Gyokeres.
Meanwhile, the striker’s agent has a sales mandate whereby he would receive 10 percent of any rejected bid at £51m or above. The clause is an optional one.
If the clause is activated, Sporting CP could threaten to demand Gyokeres’ £85m release clause.
Arsenal’s proposed new bid could be agent-driven
The Gunners are working simultaneously on two strikers at the moment.
It is crystal clear that Sesko is the priority target for manager Mikel Arteta. Daily Mail’s Isaan Khan reported yesterday that the club have ‘reservations’ over Gyokeres.
Arteta ideally wants a new striker in the squad before Arsenal travel for the pre-season tour on July 19. We should see some progress made behind the scenes pretty soon.
Despite the widespread speculation of an offer for Gyokeres by the Portuguese media, there has not been any update on the same among British sources.
Reputed journalists such as David Ornstein, Fabrizio Romano and Sami Mokbel have stayed quiet on the ongoing talk of Arsenal bidding for Gyokeres.
We believe the story is agent-driven rather than Arsenal making a move. Gyokeres is determined to leave Sporting CP and sees Arsenal as his ‘dream‘ club.
Arsenal, on the other hand, are still focused on pursuing a deal for Sesko. The Slovenian striker dropped a big hint yesterday by following the club on Instagram.
Romano was one of the first to report the same. He previously had an exclusive interview with his agent which suggests Arsenal could be making progress.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com