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Berta is in a tough position | Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Arsenal are said to be ready to increase their bid as they look to sign a striker this summer.
Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta look set to snap up Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Norgaard as depth players, while Martin Zubimendi will likely arrive as a starter, with a fee of around £55million expected. But Arsenal’s needs go a long way behind three players, and they have no greater need than up top.
The Gunners are desperate for a new striker having been left with just one fit frontman, with Gabriel Jesus out until the end of the year or close to it. Arsenal are said to have been engaged in talks over new strikers over recent weeks, and it is apparent that their top options are RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres.
Neither striker is likely to be cheap, and despite their desperation, Arsenal are not willing to spent any extra to get either deal done. Arsenal have come up short in their early talks over the two players, and both Leipzig and Sporting CP are standing firm by their respective valuations.
Both clubs know exactly how desperate Arsenal are this season, and they can play the long game to get whatever fees they want for their frontmen. According to a fresh report from A Bola, Arsenal saw a proposal worth a fixed amount of £47million was rejected and the London club are preparing a new bid worth £51million.
That bid is not likely to get them far, though, with Sporting reportedly demanding as much as £68million this summer.
Sporting’s tough stance
Sporting CP vice-president Francisco Salgado Zenha said back in late May: “He has three more years on his contract. At the moment, there are no offers, he has three more years on his contract. I think the answer has been given. [Sporting’s transfer plans] won’t be any different from last year. We want to keep the best players and retain talent. We want to continue to be champions, have competitive teams and fight on all fronts.
"I have been in this role for seven years. In the years when Sporting were champions, we even made fewer sales than in other years ... the fact that we are champions gives us a greater ability to retain players and talent. Coincidence or not, we have not had to sell any players in those times. Not that we have not received offers, but the market is not under our control, we are always dependent."
There have been reports of Gyokeres being happy with Sporting over their tough stance, but the Portuguese hold all the cards at this stage because the striker is not in a position to sit out games or throw his toys out of the pram. Even if he does it this summer, he will only cost himself a pre-season, which is likely to reduce interest from clubs, and Sporting can just wait it out under the knowledge Arsenal will not want to let their striker chase go until late in the summer. The Gunners may be able to get some discount, but they are going to have to accept their fate and pay big, whether it’s Gyokeres or Sesko.
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