FEE AGREED: Arsenal agree deal to sign £90m striker but Mikel Arteta is against the signing
Premier League side Arsenal are set to seal a deal for Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres next week after a long-running saga, according to reports.
The Gunners have had a disappointing season overall with Mikel Arteta’s side once again failing to win any major silverware.
Arsenal struggled to get near Liverpool in the second half of the campaign with Arne Slot’s side cruising to the Reds’ 20th English top-flight title victory.
After finishing as runners-up for a third consecutive season and confirming their qualification for next season’s Champions League, Arsenal can now turn their attention to the summer.
Their first expected arrival is Sporting CP striker Gyokeres with the Sweden international set to leave the Portuguese giants in the summer months.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano wrote on Monday of Gyokeres’ future: “Despite public statements, Viktor Gyokeres will surely leave Sporting this summer with a fee already agreed.
“Package worth around €65m can be enough to get [the] green light from Sporting as agreed with Gyokeres months ago. Discussions with top European clubs continue.”
And now Football Transfers, citing Portuguese publication O Jogo, claims that Arsenal ‘have struck a €65 million (£55m) deal with Sporting to sign the striker’.
The report adds that the ‘transfer will become official next week after Sporting Lisbon’s final game of the season this weekend’ and the Taca de Portugal final ‘will be Gyokeres’ final game for the club’.
But not everyone approves of Gyokeres’ move to Arsenal with Gunners legend Emmanuel Petit hoping that his former club sign Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak instead.
Petit said in at the end of March: “If I was picking between Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen, then I would go for Osimhen. Osimhen has more pedigree than Gyokeres – he would be the better choice for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal.
“But, if I had to choose one striker that Arsenal should break the bank for this summer, then I have to put Alexander Isak in front of both Osimhen and Gyokeres.
“Isak already knows the Premier League, there’s no adaption period. He’s off the shelf, ready to deliver. He has shown so much quality. He’s a top striker in the Premier League. He can score against any team, and I think he can add quality to Arsenal up front, which is something we need.
“Arsenal are missing a top, top player – a difference-maker – in the striker position. They are missing someone that can provide a physical presence and someone score goals.
“Arsenal just has plan A at the moment, they don’t have a plan B. They are missing a striker.
“Isak has shown great qualities with Newcastle. I’m thinking about how he would link up with the likes of Odegaard and Saka, he would fit like a glove into that team. He’s got the DNA of an Arsenal player. If they could get him, that would be something amazing for Arsenal.
“Arsenal has been struggling the last two or three seasons with Manchester City and Liverpool right now. They need guarantees. They must sign a top, top player in the summer That means they have to splash some serious money. If they can’t get Isak, then perhaps turn to Osimhen, but see if you can get Isak first.”
