Arsenal line up Eberechi Eze bid as Viktor Gyokeres talks continue | OneFootball

Arsenal are working on a payment structure for a bid that could allow them to sign Eberechi Eze without a substantial sale this summer.

Mikel Arteta went into the window with a budget for Martin Zubimendi and a forward - currently expected to be Sporting's Viktor Gyokeres - as well as one or two less expensive signings like Brentford's Christian Norgaard, with any further signings expected to be funded by outgoings to comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability (PSR) rules. Arsenal are nevertheless serious about doing Eze and this summer, and there is a hope that a suitable deal can be worked out.

The 27-year-old's current contract runs until summer 2027, albeit with a release clause that comes to around £60m but then additional fees in bonuses. Arsenal are aiming on a structure that will amount to three instalments of £20m to match Crystal Palace's payment terms.

Eze's preference is understood to be Arsenal should he leave Selhurst Park, although sources close to the situation believe Liverpool may yet activate long-standing interest. No club has yet made a concrete approach to Crystal Palace.

Some of Arsenal's expenditure is going to be dictated by the striker situation. The club are negotiating with Sporting over Gyokeres, but the Portuguese champions are keeping a hardline and insisting on a total package that comes to £70m.

Arsenal have advanced on that deal right now because of frustrations with Leipzig over Benjamin Sesko. There is a feeling that the German club have kept an unnecessarily hard line on price, when the two clubs were on good terms last summer.

Viktor Gyokeres looks to be Arsenal’s favoured striker target (AFP via Getty Images)

Sesko at that point decided to stay for another year because he believed it would be best for his development, when a deal could have been struck for £50m. It was felt that Leipzig would then be willing to let him go this year for the right package, and at least £10m more in price, but the German club have held firm on a total fee of €80m. Arsenal had been working on the purchase of Sesko for 18 months.