Arsenal Close To Gyokeres Deal After Add-Ons Delay

Arsenal are on the verge of signing Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres after negotiations over the finer details of the transfer took longer than expected.

BBC Sport reported last week a £63.5m deal was in the final stages, with Arsenal hoping it would be done for the beginning of their pre-season tour of Asia, which starts on Sunday.

However, the move for the Sweden forward has been held up because of negotiations between the clubs over add-on payments.

Gyokeres has already agreed terms and a five-year contract with the Gunners.

The 27-year-old has been in demand during the summer transfer window after scoring 54 goals in 52 games for Sporting last season.

BBC Sport revealed earlier this month how Arsenal had turned their attentions to Gyokeres after hitting an impasse in their bid to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig.

The search for a striker has been a drawn-out process for manager Mikel Arteta, who has been desperate to add an elite centre-forward after his side scored 17 fewer goals and finished 10 points behind champions Liverpool in the Premier League last season.

The Spaniard boosted his overall attacking options with the signing of England winger Noni Madueke, 23, from Chelsea last week.

Former Brighton and Coventry striker Gyokeres has scored 97 goals in 102 matches during his two seasons in Portugal, helping Sporting lift back-to-back Primeira Liga titles.

During his time at Coventry, he was one of the most prolific strikers in the Championship.

In 116 appearances for the Sky Blues, he scored 43 goals. He was named in the Championship team of the year in 2022-23 as Coventry reached the play-off final, but were beaten on penalties by Luton Town.

That summer he moved to Portugal, signing for Sporting for about £20m.

He made his Sweden debut in 2019 against Finland and has 26 caps, scoring 15 goals.

Not just goals – what Gyokeres can bring to Arsenal
While Portugal’s Primeira Liga is not as strong as England’s Premier League, there is no doubt Gyokeres has shown he can be lethal in the box.

His shot conversion rate of 28.4% is similar to that of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (29.2%) in his record-breaking 2022-23 season.

But though his goalscoring exploits have put the Sweden striker in such demand, Gyokeres has much more to his game.

He is known for his intelligent movement and intense work-rate, and his blend of physical strength, technical skill and tactical awareness have earned him admiring glances from clubs.

He is a provider as well as a goalscorer, with a lot of his chance creation coming from his love of running with the ball.

According to data from Opta, Gyokeres created 2.15 chances per 90 minutes last season, which translated to 1.42 goal contributions per game.

Bbc.com