Viktor Gyokeres: Arsenal advancing in talks with Sporting over statement striker transfer

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Evening Standard

·6 July 2025

Viktor Gyokeres: Arsenal advancing in talks with Sporting over statement striker transfer

Summer saga finally edging closer to conclusion as Gunners look to agree financial package for prolific Swedish international

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Arsenal are advancing in talks over a deal for Sporting star Viktor Gyokeres.

The Gunners are focused on making the prolific Swedish international their statement summer striker signing after also holding talks with RB Leipzig over fellow long-term target Benjamin Sesko.

There has been talk of a financial package for Gyokeres worth an initial €65million (£56m) up front plus an additional €15m in bonuses, though Standard Sport understands Sporting would not be willing to accept that payment structure as things stand as discussions continue.

The former Coventry forward is said to have reached an agreement with Arsenal over personal terms on a five-year contract until 2030.

Gyokeres, who has also been linked with the likes of Manchester United and Juventus, wants to leave Sporting this summer and move to the Emirates Stadium and has been involved in a bitter stand-off with the reigning Portuguese champions, with his camp said to have been furious at suggestions that Sporting would not honour an agreement to let him depart this summer for an agreed fee of around £60m.

There has been talk in the media of possible strikes and Gyokeres potentially not turning up for the start of pre-season training on Monday in a bid to force an exit, while Sporting president Frederico Varandas has strenuously denied that any such gentleman’s agreement ever existed amid a public war of words with agent Hasan Cetinkaya.

Gyokeres has flourished in Portugal since leaving Championship side Coventry for Sporting in a £20m deal two summers ago, scoring 97 goals and providing 28 assists in just 102 appearances across all competitions, including 54 in 52 games last season as he won the Bola de Prata top scorer award for the second successive year.

The former Brighton and Swansea frontman - under contract in Lisbon until 2028 - has scored 68 times in the league for Sporting in 66 outings and also has 15 goals in 26 senior international caps for Sweden, where he plays alongside another long-term Arsenal target in Newcastle’s Alexander Isak.

Arsenal want to complete a deal for a top-level striker this summer after injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz saw them play without a recognised centre-forward for much of the second half of another season that promised so much but ultimately did not deliver any major silverware once again.

Manager Mikel Arteta and new sporting director Andrea Berta are focused on additions across the squad, having on Sunday confirmed the £51m signing of Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad.

Arsenal also completed a £5m deal with Chelsea for goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and have held talks with Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze as well as holding interest in the likes of Rodrygo at Real Madrid and Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon.

They are targeting another Chelsea player in Noni Madueke and have been trying to clinch a deal with Valencia for 21-year-old centre-back Cristhian Mosquera.