Arsenal have penciled in negotiations with a "top" striker, with manager Mikel Arteta believed to hold a significant link to the player which could well hand the Gunners an edge in the race for his signature.
Andrea Berta pursuing new centre-forward for Arsenal this summer
The arrival of new sporting director Andrea Berta recently has intensified transfer talk around the Emirates Stadium, with nothing left to play for in the Premier League and the next summer window set to be a crucial one.
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The Galacticos are now attempting to hijack Arteta.
The signing of a prolific new centre-forward will also have real significance, as long-term injuries to both Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz highlight the importance for Berta to acquire a proven and reliable option for Arteta.
Newcastle United star Alexander Isak is continuously being linked with a move to Arsenal, but the Magpies are reluctant to sell their star forward and will demand a serious premium to even entertain talks.
Arsenal's next five Premier League games Date
Fulham (home) April 1st
Everton (away) April 5th
Brentford (home) April 12th
Ipswich Town (away) April 20th
Crystal Palace (home) April 26th
Reliable journalist Ben Jacobs is among the many credible media members who state that Newcastle's starting price for Isak is around £150 million, which would require Arsenal to smash their transfer record.
Even if some reports state that Isak has expressed a desire to join Arsenal, a lot of signs point towards the Sweden international being unattainable this summer, but there are tempting alternative options.
One of them is Sporting CP superstar Viktor Gyokeres, another prolific Sweden international who's racked up an incredible 40 goals across 41 appearances in all competitions this season.
Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres
While his release clause stands at around £83 million, Sky Germany stated late last year that Sporting could green-light Gyokeres' sale for a fee between £50-58 million this summer.
Arsenal schedule "formal" talks with Viktor Gyokeres' agent
According to Portuguese news outlet Correio da Manha, via 90min, the Gunners appear to be prepared to take full advantage of this potential price tag.
Indeed, as per their information, Arsenal have scheduled "formal" talks with Gyokeres' agent to discuss terms, and the representative is actually said to be a "close friend" of Arteta.
Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres celebrates after the match
The north Londoners believe this could even hand Arsenal an edge in the race for his services, even if they're likely to face very stiff competition for the 26-year-old following another very prolific campaign in the Primeira Liga.
Gyokeres already attracted praise from members of the Arsenal squad, like goalkeeper David Raya, who branded him a "top player" before their meeting in the Champions League.
"We know his strengths, how he runs a lot in behind and scores a lot in one v. one, and he is a top player in form," said Raya.
"We are going to try and keep him very, very quiet. Don't give him any chances. We have to step up defensively. Hopefully we can do a great job and keep a clean sheet."