Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres has been on Arsenal’s radar for a rather long time and according to Football Insider, the forward is now wanted by Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur as well.
The Gunners are actively searching for a new world-class centre-forward who is going to lead the line but Gyokeres’ €102 million release clause is what is making Arsenal think long and hard. Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have played in tandem last season but Mikel Arteta needs someone who is capable of scoring 25-30 goals in a single season.
Apart from Gyokeres, there are other names on Arsenal’s transfer wishlist as well but now the Gunners will have to make a decision rather quickly. The interest from Liverpool and Spurs will definitely be a bit unsettling for Arsenal but Sporting’s massive demand is going to be a major stumbling block for all the three English sides.
This massive clause is the reason why Arsenal have been scouting other targets throughout the summer and we have a strong feeling that Spurs and Liverpool will also hold talks with Sporting CP with the hope that they will accept a lower valuation for the Swedish international.
Is Viktor Gyokeres coming to the Premier League?
Gyokeres spent a significant time in England with clubs like Brighton, Coventry and Swansea City and it was only last year that he moved to Sporting. However, in just one season, the forward has taken the Portuguese league by storm, scoring 43 goals in just 50 appearances for the club.
In 33 league appearances, the centre-forward had 58 shots on target along with an xG of 22.17 and an xA of 6.08. Out of the 29 league goals he scored, only five came from the penalty spot plus he created as many as 54 major chances.
Viktor Gyokeres is a proper goal machine and all three Premier League clubs will massively benefit with a player like him in the squad.
Having said that, it’s very hard to see the 26-year-old joining one of these PL clubs if Sporting are not ready to lower their demands.
€102 million is no joke and while clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool can still pull it off, there’s no way Tottenham Hotspur and Daniel Levy will be ready to spend this much on one single player. Yes, they need a long-term replacement for Harry Kane but the Lilywhites have never been crazy spenders in the transfer market.
Liverpool and Arsenal will both depend on player sales to see what the future holds for them because if Darwin Nunez isn’t leaving Arne Slot has no reason to go after someone like Viktor Gyokeres. The Gunners, on the other hand, need to get rid of fringe players like Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah before they can even think of financing such a massive transfer.
