Arsenal
As per latest transfer news, Viktor Gyokeres wants to leave Arsenal in the January window. The striker has only come off the bench in the league so far this season.
Viktor Gyokeres wants more game time
As reported by TEAMtalk, the 28-year-old is ready to push for a January exit from the Emirates Stadium and is keen to leave. The club signed him from Sporting CP in 2025 for a reported fee of more than £60m. He scored 21 goals last season, 14 of them in the Premier League, as the club clinched the title.
This term has been a tough one, as he has played three league games and all came from the bench. Kai Havertz is now the first choice for Mikel Arteta up front, so he has had few chances. The club are also defending a title, so every pick carries extra weight for the manager. Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith told Football.London that the Swede would likely be sold if a top forward arrives.
His form for Sweden is strong, and he scored four goals during the recent Nations League break. That run suggests the problem is not goals or fitness, but a lack of minutes at his club. His record at Sporting also shows why clubs want him, with 97 goals in 102 games and two league titles.
Gyokeres’ 2026 stats for Sweden so far, as per FOTMOB:
Competitions Appearances Goals Assists
FIFA World Cup 4 2 1
UEFA Nations League B 4 4 0
Friendlies 1 1 0
Julian Alvarez link adds pressure
The second reason is Arsenal’s interest in Julian Alvarez, who stayed in Spain over the summer. The Gunners spent much of the window in talks over a deal for the Argentine forward. Alvarez made clear that he wanted to join Barcelona, so the move did not happen. Even so, the long chase made the striker’s camp doubt how high he stood in the long-term plans.
Arsenal still want Julian Alvarez, and any new striker would push Viktor Gyokeres further down the pecking order. Arteta can only start one main striker, and Havertz has held that role so far this term. Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard all left in the summer, and only Christos Tzolis replaced them. Gyokeres helped the club reach the Champions League final last season, yet he now sits behind Havertz in attack.
Arsenal
Clubs weigh up interest
Selling him will not be easy, as the Gunners want over £60m for a full sale. Gyokeres signed a five-year deal in 2025, so the club do not have to sell on the cheap. Milan are said to have asked about a loan, but Arsenal turned down the idea. The club also plan to sign one more forward, which could make a January sale much easier.
Agents are said to be doing early checks on new clubs for the player before the January window. Atletico Madrid are still keen, and TEAMtalk says they raised Gyokeres with Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta this summer. Milan and Juventus have also been linked, but neither club has made a formal offer so far.
Arsenal picked him ahead of Benjamin Sesko, who later joined Manchester United, and have stood by that choice. That decision looks harder to defend now, because the striker wants regular football and has not started a league game. Whether Gyokeres gets a chance in the coming weeks could shape how hard he pushes for a January exit.
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