Arsenal sign Viktor Gyokeres | OneFootball

Arsenal have completed the signing of Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP, ending a long pursuit of a striker seen as crucial to Mikel Arteta’s plans.

Photo via Arsenal.com

The Sweden international joins for an initial €63.5 million, with a further €10 million payable in add-ons linked to individual and team achievements.

The structure of those add-ons was the last obstacle to overcome, with Sporting pushing for payments that would effectively be guaranteed.

The eventual compromise was reportedly €1.25m due every 20 games (up to a limit of €5m), €0.5m every 20 goal contributions (up to a limit of €1m), and €1m every Champions League League Phase qualification (up to a limit of €4m).

Sporting will have to send around £4.3m of the initial payment on to Coventry City, Gyokeres’ former club, due to a sell-on clause. His agent, Hasan Cetinkaya, waived his 10 per cent commission to help the deal go through.

Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images

About the move, Mikel Arteta said, “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Viktor Gyökeres to the club. The consistency he has shown in his performances and availability have been outstanding, and his goal contributions speak for themselves.

“Viktor has so many qualities. He is a quick and powerful presence up front, with incredible goalscoring numbers at club and international levels. He brings a clinical edge with a high conversion rate of chances into goals.”

Andrea Berta added, “We are so pleased with the excellent deal we have completed to bring Viktor Gyökeres to the club. Viktor is an exceptional talent and has consistently demonstrated he has the qualities and winning mentality required of a top-level centre-forward. His physicality, intelligence and work ethic make him a perfect fit for our vision.

“We are confident Viktor will have a major impact on the pitch and become an important figure in our dressing room. Welcome, Viktor!”

Arsenal confirm Gyokeres will wear the number 14 and immediately join up with the first-team for pre-season.

Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty Images

Gyokeres, 27, arrives after an outstanding season in Portugal where his physicality, movement and finishing drew interest from several top European clubs.

Arsenal’s need for a focal point in attack has been a recurring theme over recent windows, and Gyokeres is seen as the solution after the club explored multiple options before committing fully to the deal.

With the signing now complete, Arsenal have their man and a contract designed to secure one of Europe’s most productive strikers for the prime years of his career.