Arsenal is nearing a deal to acquire Viktor Gyökeres, a forward from Sporting Lisbon, according to sources speaking with ESPN.
The reports indicate that both sides have agreed on personal terms for a five-year contract for the 26-year-old. Recently, talks between the two clubs have picked up speed.
Arsenal’s sporting director Andrea Berta traveled to Lisbon for direct discussions with Sporting’s president Frederico Nuno Faro Varandas and the club’s new sporting director Bernardo Palmeiro.
They are close to reaching a full agreement on a transfer fee of €65 million ($76.6 million). While the details of the deal still need to be finalized, there is hope from Arsenal that they will successfully sign Gyökeres.
Last season in Portugal, Gyökeres scored an impressive 54 goals in 52 matches across all competitions. Manager Mikel Arteta chose him over Benjamin Sesko as Arsenal’s key signing for the summer.
As the Premier League team moves closer to securing a long-desired No. 9, they are also actively searching for a left winger. A source has informed ESPN that discussions with Chelsea and Noni Madueke are progressing well.
Super agent Ali Barat is helping to finalize the deal, and there is already an agreement in place between Arsenal and the player regarding a five-year contract, similar to what they have with Gyökeres.
The talks with Chelsea are still happening and could be completed by the end of this week, according to the source, for a fee of around €50 million. Chelsea brought Madueke from PSV Eindhoven in 2023 for €35 million.
Arteta has always admired the England international, and Arsenal considered signing him last summer. Although his strongest position is as a right winger, where Bukayo Saka plays, Arteta thinks he can train him to be an excellent left winger.
Sources say talks are still ongoing with Crystal Palace about Eberechi Eze.
Things are looking good between all three parties, but Palace has set a price of €65 million for their star player. Like Madueke, Eze is eager to join Arsenal.
However, it’s uncertain if the club can sign both wingers after they finalize the deal for Gyökeres, which needs to happen first.
Arsenal will need to find new clubs for players like Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior, Reiss Nelson, or Leandro Trossard in order to afford the new wingers.
The club plans to announce soon that they have signed Christian Nørgaard from Brentford for €13 million and have already confirmed deals for midfielder Martín Zubimendi from Real Sociedad and Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea. Additionally, Arsenal has extended the contracts of defenders Gabriel and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
