Arsenal told Viktor Gyokeres is ‘all theirs’ on one condition
Viktor Gyokeres is emerging as Arsenal’s key summer transfer target (Picture: Getty) Arsenal are preparing a bumper contract offer for Viktor Gyokeres but are yet to submit an official bid for the Sporting Lisbon striker. After missing out on silverware yet again, the Gunners are ready to spend heavily this summer and arm Mikel Arteta with a squad capable of winning major honours. A new striker is viewed as imperative and sporting director Andrea Berta is said to be pushing his new club to make a move for the Sweden international. Arteta has been a huge admirer of Alexander Isak but the Newcastle striker is unlikely to be attainable while there are reservations over Benjamin Sesko who came close to joining Arsenal last summer. Gyokeres, who turns 27 next month, has scored 95 goals in 100 games for Sporting and is keen on making a return to England following previous spells with Coventry and Brighton earlier in his career. Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. According to The Mirror, Arsenal have been told the player is all theirs for £60million and although they are yet to submit an official bid a contract worth around £200,000-a-week is being prepared. With Sporting still in contention to win their domestic league title, Arsenal will wait until the end of the season to make an opening offer which is likely to be accepted. Viktor Gyokeres is keen to leave Sporting Lisbon this summer (Picture: Getty) Sporting, themselves, do not want a protracted saga to drag on and have already identified several alternatives. Whether Gyokeres is the man to finally help Arsenal get over the line remains to be seen, but Graeme Souness, who spent part of his managerial career in Portugal, doesn’t believe his age should be held against him He said: ‘There’s a difference of opinion within the club as to whether Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres is the right choice for striker. ‘Apparently, partly because he is 27 next month and plying his trade in Portugal. ‘If resistance is because he is playing in a weaker Portuguese league, then I can understand the doubts. Yet if they think Gyokeres is the right man but turning 27 means he doesn’t fit their profile, his age shouldn’t be coming into the equation. Gyokeres has been in sensational goalscoring form (Picture: Getty) Which Premier League club should Viktor Gyokeres join? Arsenal It’s obvious why a move to the Emirates Stadium might appeal to Gyokeres. Arsenal look set for a third successive second-place finish in the Premier League and they have come so close to winning the title without an out-and-out striker. Gyokeres would be an immediate upgrade on Mikel Arteta’s current options, which include ex-Chelsea forward Kai Havertz, the injured Gabriel Jesus and makeshift striker (at least since Arsenal’s injury crisis) Mikel Merino. More than just a goalscorer – as 11 assists so far this season shows – Gyokeres would also thrive in an Arsenal team that requires more from their forwards than just a poacher. Players speak glowingly of Arteta and Arsenal would be a stable environment for Gyokeres to continue his development and perhaps be the difference for a team who have aspirations of winning trophies on the regular over the next few years. Manchester United Old Trafford was immediately tipped as Gyokeres’ future destination when Ruben Amorim left Sporting Lisbon to replace Erik ten Hag. Gyokeres’ incredible first season came under Amorim and the ex-Sporting boss looks set to welcome a new striker to the club this summer after being left underwhelmed by expensive but struggling signings Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee. The chance to reunite with Amorim will be tempting for Gyokeres, who would also be joining one of the biggest clubs in the world despite their recent struggles. The problem, of course, is Manchester United – in the bottom-half of the Premier League – will be without Champions League football next season, barring a surprising Europa League triumph. Liverpool Gyokeres in on course to leave Sporting Lisbon as a title winner so who better to join than the new Premier League champions? Liverpool, on the verge of becoming English champions in Arne Slot’s first season at Anfield, could be the perfect platform for Gyokeres. Slot has managed without a recognised centre forward this season but Jamie Carragher is among those calling for the arrival of a new striker amid reports Darwin Nunez is on his way out. Liverpool could lose Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk this summer but winning the race to sign Gyokeres would be a significant coup and give Slot a reasonable chance of defending the title. Louis Sealey | D
Arsenal are preparing a bumper contract offer for Viktor Gyokeres but are yet to submit an official bid for the Sporting Lisbon striker.
After missing out on silverware yet again, the Gunners are ready to spend heavily this summer and arm Mikel Arteta with a squad capable of winning major honours.
A new striker is viewed as imperative and sporting director Andrea Berta is said to be pushing his new club to make a move for the Sweden international.
Arteta has been a huge admirer of Alexander Isak but the Newcastle striker is unlikely to be attainable while there are reservations over Benjamin Sesko who came close to joining Arsenal last summer.
Gyokeres, who turns 27 next month, has scored 95 goals in 100 games for Sporting and is keen on making a return to England following previous spells with Coventry and Brighton earlier in his career.
Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday
Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you.
According to The Mirror, Arsenal have been told the player is all theirs for £60million and although they are yet to submit an official bid a contract worth around £200,000-a-week is being prepared.
With Sporting still in contention to win their domestic league title, Arsenal will wait until the end of the season to make an opening offer which is likely to be accepted.
Sporting, themselves, do not want a protracted saga to drag on and have already identified several alternatives.
Whether Gyokeres is the man to finally help Arsenal get over the line remains to be seen, but Graeme Souness, who spent part of his managerial career in Portugal, doesn’t believe his age should be held against him
He said: ‘There’s a difference of opinion within the club as to whether Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres is the right choice for striker.
‘Apparently, partly because he is 27 next month and plying his trade in Portugal.
‘If resistance is because he is playing in a weaker Portuguese league, then I can understand the doubts. Yet if they think Gyokeres is the right man but turning 27 means he doesn’t fit their profile, his age shouldn’t be coming into the equation.
Which Premier League club should Viktor Gyokeres join?
Arsenal
It’s obvious why a move to the Emirates Stadium might appeal to Gyokeres. Arsenal look set for a third successive second-place finish in the Premier League and they have come so close to winning the title without an out-and-out striker.
Gyokeres would be an immediate upgrade on Mikel Arteta’s current options, which include ex-Chelsea forward Kai Havertz, the injured Gabriel Jesus and makeshift striker (at least since Arsenal’s injury crisis) Mikel Merino.
More than just a goalscorer – as 11 assists so far this season shows – Gyokeres would also thrive in an Arsenal team that requires more from their forwards than just a poacher.
Players speak glowingly of Arteta and Arsenal would be a stable environment for Gyokeres to continue his development and perhaps be the difference for a team who have aspirations of winning trophies on the regular over the next few years.
Manchester United
Old Trafford was immediately tipped as Gyokeres’ future destination when Ruben Amorim left Sporting Lisbon to replace Erik ten Hag.
Gyokeres’ incredible first season came under Amorim and the ex-Sporting boss looks set to welcome a new striker to the club this summer after being left underwhelmed by expensive but struggling signings Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.
The chance to reunite with Amorim will be tempting for Gyokeres, who would also be joining one of the biggest clubs in the world despite their recent struggles.
The problem, of course, is Manchester United – in the bottom-half of the Premier League – will be without Champions League football next season, barring a surprising Europa League triumph.
Liverpool
Gyokeres in on course to leave Sporting Lisbon as a title winner so who better to join than the new Premier League champions?
Liverpool, on the verge of becoming English champions in Arne Slot’s first season at Anfield, could be the perfect platform for Gyokeres.
Slot has managed without a recognised centre forward this season but Jamie Carragher is among those calling for the arrival of a new striker amid reports Darwin Nunez is on his way out.
Liverpool could lose Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk this summer but winning the race to sign Gyokeres would be a significant coup and give Slot a reasonable chance of defending the title.
Louis Sealey | Deputy Sports Editor, Metro
‘Mikel is not in a position to wait for someone of better age profile. He needs a finisher immediately, as in now, for next season.
‘For me, 27 is a great age to be getting a striker so that shouldn’t be up for debate. He has scored 56 goals this season so far for club and country. If he’s 27 in June, he is coming into his prime.
‘The way footballers look after themselves these days, he can give them three good years if not more. Age is not a factor in this instance.
‘And how long does Mikel think he has got? He has got to be thinking: if I don’t win trophies within the next 12 months, I could be down the road and out of a job here. So, getting a proven goalscorer, in his prime, through the door is the priority.’
