Arsenal’s hunt for a top-tier striker appears to be nearing its conclusion, with a club delegation currently in Portugal to seal a deal for Sporting CP’s prolific frontman Viktor Gyokeres. The 26-year-old Swede has reportedly agreed personal terms with the North London club and is expected to sign a five-year deal worth £200,000 per week.
While not quite reaching the club-high wages of Kai Havertz (£290,000 per week), Gyokeres’ deal places him firmly among the Gunners’ highest earners—a clear statement of intent from Mikel Arteta and Edu as they look to address a glaring gap in Arsenal’s attack.
After netting a staggering 54 goals in 52 appearances for Sporting last season, Gyokeres emerged as one of the most lethal forwards in European football. His numbers, although inflated by the Portuguese league’s disparity in quality, still underline a striker at the peak of his form and confidence. It’s no surprise Arsenal opted to pursue the Swede over alternatives like RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, who has since committed his future to the Bundesliga club.
Sources close to the deal say Gyokeres is eager to make the leap to the Premier League, and despite interest from Manchester United—whose project under INEOS remains in its early stages—his preference has been clear. Arsenal, in contrast, offer Champions League football, a settled squad, and a genuine title push. That ambition resonated more with the player, who’s entering the prime years of his career.
Fabrizio Romano reported over the weekend that Arsenal are “getting closer” to finalising the move, with the Gunners now in advanced talks with Sporting. A formal announcement could follow swiftly once the club’s representatives return from Lisbon.
Not everyone in the football world is sold on the move, though. Former Watford striker Troy Deeney questioned Arsenal’s conviction, suggesting the club wouldn’t be dragging out the process if they were fully convinced.
“I don’t think they’re sold on Gyokeres, I really don’t,” Deeney told talkSPORT. “If they were, you’d see the deal already done. Look at how Liverpool handled Wirtz—you don’t hesitate if you believe he’s your guy.”
Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand remains adamant Manchester United should have done more to compete for elite strikers like Victor Osimhen. The former United defender criticized his club’s passive approach, noting how Galatasaray have now launched a bid for the Napoli star reportedly worth £50 million.
For Arsenal, the potential arrival of Gyokeres isn’t just about adding firepower—it’s about completing a squad capable of going one better than last season’s runner-up finish. Arteta has trusted the process for years; this summer, the strategy is about finishing it.
Gyokeres might not come with the same global name recognition as some of his counterparts, but the numbers don’t lie. Arsenal are betting on a striker whose form is red-hot, whose hunger is clear, and whose timing couldn’t be better.
