Mikel Arteta is reportedly pushing Arsenal to complete a deal for Viktor Gyokeres today after the Sporting CP striker entered a seventh day of ‘unexcused absence’.
The Gunners have completed the signings of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard already this summer after new sporting director Andrea Berta joined the club.
Arsenal are far from done in the transfer market with Chelsea winger Noni Madueke and Valencia centre-back Cristhian Mosquera lined up to join in the coming days.
Gyokeres is another deal that is on the verge of being completed with Arsenal and Sporting CP currently haggling over the add-ons involved in the deal.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano brought an update on a deal on Thursday with the transfer “simply not done” after he expected the completion earlier in the week.
Romano said on his YouTube channel: “The conversation is still ongoing. The agents of the player are still in London to try and resolve the agreement between all parties involved, Sporting, Arsenal.
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“[On the] player side everything is okay, five-year contract, Gyokeres is fighting to go to Arsenal. But obviously it’s really important to agree on the add-ons.
“They are really on it, every single hour, every single minute. Arsenal and Sporting are working on this deal.
“So as soon as it will be agreed I will let you know but they are still working on the add-ons.
“On Sunday there were reports of deal done… it was not done, it was simply not done. It was close, for sure, because they agreed the first part of the fee, but not the add-ons.”
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And now Portuguese newspaper Record claim that Arsenal boss Arteta is ‘eager to have Gyokeres this Friday’ after the Gunners set a ‘deadline to reach Sporting’s target and bring the Swedish striker on the Asian tour’.
The Sweden international ‘has removed his belongings from his home in Portugal but is still waiting for the London club’ to agree a deal with Sporting.
It is understood ‘the agreement must be reached this Friday, the day before the Gunners leave for Singapore’ in order to take Gyokeres on the Asian tour
The sticking point is still the add-ons with Record adding that ‘everything is tied to the variables of objectives, which the Lions want to be realistic and easily achieved’.
It is understood that ‘Arsenal is still unconvinced about easing up on the bonuses, which include 20-game reserves but other more difficult-to-achieve objectives. And after Monday’s refusal, they haven’t returned to the challenge.’
Gyokeres has ‘not reported for duty since Saturday’ at Sporting and he is now on his seventh day of ‘unexcused absence, which would already be grounds for dismissal with cause’.