Viktor Gyokeres is desperate for a move to Arsenal this summer.
The Sporting CP star has been one of the best forwards in Europe over the last two seasons, and he is due a big move away from Portugal.
Andrea Berta flew out to Lisbon to sign Gyokeres at the end of last week, and talks have been ongoing to strike a deal since.
Sporting are not showing any signs of budging on their demands, so Gyokeres has now done something himself to help push the transfer through.
Viktor Gyokeres offers to reduce his salary demands to join Arsenal
Many view Viktor Gyokeres as the final piece of the puzzle at Arsenal.
The Gunners have top-class players in every other position on the pitch, and fans have been crying out for a new centre-forward for over two years.
Talks are advancing with Sporting for Gyokeres, who has been keen on a move to Arsenal since the start of the summer transfer window.
TBR Football exclusively revealed that personal terms between Arsenal and Gyokeres have been agreed on a £200,000-a-week contract.
Now, Ben Jacobs has revealed that the striker’s original demands were higher, but he has offered to lower his salary in order to push through a move to the Emirates. Arsenal fans will love that!
The journalist said on talkSPORT: “The actual wage size is lower because Viktor Gyokeres now has reduced his wage demands and is prepared annually to reduce his salary by around €2 million.”
In the same video, Jacobs added: “Gyokeres has almost said ‘I want Arsenal. I know that Sporting are going to ask for more money than perhaps Arsenal thought originally’.
“So he has reduced his wages a little bit, which means that this £200,000-a-week number or whatever it proves to be once they finalise the terms with all the bonuses and so on, but that total wage is saving Arsenal £1.5 million or €2 million.
“This means that even if they do have to pay a little bit more on the player, the overall cost of the deal might still be similar to what they were hoping or anticipating a few weeks ago.
“Gyokeres is doing everything in his power to try and get this Arsenal deal over the line. Now, we just have to wait for the club-to-club agreement, which could come sooner rather than later.”
Where would Viktor Gyokeres rank among Arsenal’s top earners?
Arsenal’s wage bill is not crazy by any means, but they pay their top players handsomely.
Four players earn in excess of £200,000-a-week at Arsenal, and they will be the only ones who will pocket more than Gyokeres if he gets his move.
Arsenal players Wages per week
Kai Havertz £280,000
Gabriel Jesus £265,000
Martin Odegaard £240,000
Declan Rice £240,000
Viktor Gyokeres* £200,000
Bukayo Saka £195,000
William Saliba £190,000
Gyokeres will earn more than Bukayo Saka, but that will only be temporary as the Gunners are working to tie their star attacker down to a new deal.
TBR Football exclusively revealed that Saka’s new contract will see him earn £300,000 a week and become Arsenal’s highest-paid player, should he agree to put pen to paper.