Deal Completed: Arsenal completes another big-name signing after sealing Norgaard’s transfer as the superstar arrives on five-years transfer deal

There has been a triple update on the future of Viktor Gyokeres, with Arsenal reportedly edging closer to signing the Sporting CP striker despite suggestions Manchester United are frontrunners.

Gyokeres is one of the most in-demand centre-forwards in the world after putting up incredible numbers in Portugal. He has played a pivotal role in Sporting winning two league titles and one Portuguese Cup, having notched 97 goals in 102 appearances for the club.

Sporting originally paid Coventry City €24million to sign Gyokeres in July 2023 and that transfer has proven to be a masterstroke.

The Primeira Liga giants are set to make a big profit on the Sweden international as he is ready to take the next step in his career and join a world-renowned club.

Arsenal and Man Utd are understood to be the two main sides in the race for Gyokeres’ signature.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is in talks with both Gyokeres and RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, while head coach Ruben Amorim is pushing Man Utd to sign the former.

According to Portuguese newspaper A Bola, Arsenal have already had a £47m (€55m / $64.5m) bid for Gyokeres rejected and are due to return with an improved offer.

This new proposal will be worth £51m (€60m / $70m), it is claimed.

This second bid is likely to be rebuffed too as it does not meet Sporting’s demands. Gyokeres has told Sporting he will never play for the club again as they have gone back on a gentlemen’s agreement allowing him to leave for €70m (£60m / $82m) and are now holding out for €80m (£68m / $94m).

While Arsenal are still some way off Sporting’s asking price, they are heading in the right direction. And Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has gone a big step further by stating that Gyokeres will become Arsenal’s new No 9, despite rival interest from United and the Gunners also holding talks for Sesko.

“It’s true that Arsenal have him [Sesko] in their sights, but Arsenal will sign Gyokeres because he wants to join Arsenal,” Di Marzio said.

“Other clubs have tried to enter the race, like Juventus, but he will go to Arsenal, and other strikers won’t come if he goes there.

“He was their first target from the start, and now they have to find an agreement with Sporting. He will be an Arsenal player.”

Man Utd fighting Arsenal for Viktor Gyokeres
The Mirror, though, claim United are in ‘pole position’ to complete the Gyokeres deal after the 27-year-old informed Amorim’s side he is keen to join them this summer – which TEAMtalk exclusively revealed on Wednesday night.

It had previously been thought that Gyokeres was prioritising an Arsenal move to play in the Champions League, but that is no longer the case.

He believes Amorim can take United back into the top six and get them in the picture for silverware, too.

Liverpool have also been tipped to move for Gyokeres, though such links were shut down on Thursday.

There is plenty of speculation surrounding the goal machine as Arsenal and United step up respective negotiations to snare him.

BBC Sport journalist Sami Mokbel has revealed which striker the Arsenal board would ideally like to sign and explained how Berta could pull off a masterclass in the transfer market.