Arsenal are on the verge of making their first summer signing – and addressing the long-held need for a new forward.
The Gunners scored more goals and racked up more wins last season than they ever had in a Premier League season but there is still the feeling among fans that a new centre-forward would take them up a level. Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah started the season as first- and second-choice strikers respectively, managing just nine goals between them in the league all campaign.
Kai Havertz has emerged as Arsenal's most reliable No.9 – but with the German not a natural finisher, Mikel Arteta and his sporting director Edu Gaspar are said to be on the hunt for a true killer in the penalty area.
According to Portuguese outlet Leonino via Sport Witness, Sporting superstar Viktor Gyokeres is “very close” to signing, with just details with the numbers preventing the move from going through.
Gyokeres struck an incredible 43 goals during his first season in Portuguese football following a move from Coventry City, proving his credentials as one of Europe's top hitmen. Sport Witness have tempered their own report, however, by telling Gooners to “keep calm, as the news hasn’t been reported by any major outlets”.
In FourFourTwo's opinion, this deal may well be one that the Gunners are working on – but Leonino have not actually provided any new details to this saga, other than the idea of it being “very close”. The financial aspects of this transfer has always been the sticking point of the move, while the “closeness” of Gyokeres' arrival is debatable.
As referred by Caught Offside in April, Sporting either want €100 million for the Swede, as per his release clause, or a comparable deal structure to be agreed if they are to let him go.
Gyokeres is worth €65m, according to Transfermarkt.
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Arsenal are facing the prospect of losing three players in the coming weeks, as transfer activity ramps up. According to reports, the Gunners are looking to bring in a Real Madrid star.
Benjamin Sesko has turned down Arsenal to remain at RB Leipzig, meanwhile a former Gunners star has expressed his doubts over Mikel Arteta.
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