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Topics: Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal, Transfer News, Premier League, Football, Sporting CP, Mikel Arteta
Luke Davies
Topics: Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal, Transfer News, Premier League, Football, Sporting CP, Mikel Arteta
Viktor Gyokeres could force Arsenal and Mikel Arteta to make an awkward decision if he joins the Gunners this summer.
Gyokeres, 27, seems all but certain to become an Arsenal player ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign. This comes after the Sporting CP forward netted 54 times in 52 appearances for the Lisbon club as they secured a league and cup double in 2024/25.
Earlier this week, The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported that Arsenal are in the process of completing a deal as final steps in negotiations are taking place with regards to an agreement worth £54.8m fixed fee plus £8.6m in add-ons. The striker’s agent has even reportedly waived his fee in order to complete a deal.
Speaking on the Sky Sports Back Pages Podcast, Ornstein issued a further update earlier this week.
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“They’ve got to get it completed though,” Ornstein said. “And, you know, they’re working to complete it.
“And there’s an agreement in principle, which is for a fee of 63.5 million Euros plus 10 million Euros in add-ons.
“But they still need to sort of put the finishing touches to the nature of those add-ons. And there are reports coming from Portugal tonight that the sporting president, Federico Varandas, wants sort of near-fixed, guaranteed 10 million add-ons.
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“Maybe Arsenal’s thoughts on how you get to those add-ons are a little bit different. And I guess these are natural parts of the closing stages of negotiations. And it can get a little bit tense and complicated, especially because, you know, this one’s been complicated throughout.”
If Gyokeres does complete the proposed move, he will become the Gunners’ fourth signing of the summer following the arrivals of goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and midfielders Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi.
However, his potential arrival could force the club into a rather awkward decision which two other players may not be too happy with.
During his time at Coventry City between 2021 and 2023, the Sweden international wore ‘17’ on the back of his shirt before converting to ‘9’ when he signed for Sporting in 2023.
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And it would be fair to assume that he will likely want to remain as a number nine if he joins Arsenal. However, this means current number nine Gabriel Jesus would have to vacate the number having worn it since he transferred from Manchester City in 2022.
The Brazilian is still recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear which he suffered in mid-January.
Of course, a second option is Oleksandr Zinchenko’s 17, a number he has worn since the start of the 24/25 campaign.
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Zinchenko, 28, featured just 15 times in the Premier League last season having struggled for first-team minutes following the emergence of teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly.