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The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
Viktor Gyokeres signs five-year deal with Arsenal as lengthy transfer saga comes to an end
Arsenal have completed the signing of Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting, for a final fee of €63m (£55m) with a further €10m to potentially be paid in add-ons (totalling £64m). The 27-year-old has signed a five-year contract. The purchase marks the end of an 18-month hunt for a number-nine from Arsenal, who have been insistent on signing a goalscorer for the 'here and now'. Gyokeres' arrival also marks the end of a hard period of negotiations with Sporting, who were insistent on more achievable add-ons. At one point, the deal dragged on and stalled over a potential add-on of €5m. Sporting's relationship with the player's camp ended with tension, such was Gyokeres' desire to push for a move to Arsenal. Mikel Arteta has been struck by the Swedish international's levels of self-motivation, which was one of many reasons the club ultimately went for Gyokeres over options such as Ollie Watkins, Goncalo Ramos and - above all - Leipzig 's Benjamin Sesko. The signing is an indicator of sporting director Andrea Berta's new influence in the club, as he was a big backer of Gyokeres. Arsenal had previously put a lot of work into the 22-year-old Sesko, but Berta felt Leipzig's €80m price was far too high for a forward whose primary attraction was his future ceiling. Gyokeres is already in his prime, having scored 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting over the last two seasons. He has even outscored Alexander Isak for Sweden of late, hitting 12 in his last 17 appearances. Arteta and the Arsenal analytics staff were similarly convinced, for a forward who they hope can deliver a first league title in 22 years.
The Guardian
24 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Arsenal complete £64m deal to sign striker Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting
Arsenal have finally solved their striker conundrum by completing the signing of Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting Lisbon for an initial £55m. The 27-year-old Sweden international, who fired Sporting to the title last season with 39 goals and struck a Champions League hat-trick against Manchester City, is understood to have signed a five-year deal at the Emirates. Gyökeres' transfer, which could end up costing as much as £64m with performance-related add-ons, takes Arsenal's close-season spending to the region of £200m. He becomes Mikel Arteta's sixth summer signing and follows defender Cristhian Mosquera (£13m), midfielder Martin Zubimendi (£60m), goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga (£5m), midfielder Christian Norgaard (£10m) and forward Noni Madueke (£48.5m) in moving to the Emirates. Arsenal confirmed the news with a brief post on X which read: 'This is where you need to be. Viktor Gyökeres is a Gunner.' Gyökeres will be expected to meet up with his new colleagues in Arsenal's ongoing pre-season tour of Singapore and Hong Kong. The Gunners face Newcastle in the Singapore National Stadium on Sunday before the concluding game of their tour, against Tottenham in Hong Kong on 31 July. Gyökeres moved to Brighton from Swedish side Brommapojkarna in January 2018, but spent time on loan at St Pauli and then Swansea and Coventry, before making a permanent move to the Sky Blues in July 2021. After Coventry were beaten on penalties by Luton in the 2023 Championship playoff final at Wembley, Gyökeres completed a £20.5m switch to Sporting. He scored a remarkable 97 goals in 102 matches for the Portuguese side. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Arsenal spent the concluding months of last season without a recognised striker following long-term injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. Even before then, Arsenal were in desperate need of a reliable scorer, and Arteta will hope his new signing can fire him to his first silverware since he won the FA Cup in 2020, and end the club's two-decade wait for a Premier League title. Arsenal's new sporting director, Andrea Berta, has wasted little time in strengthening a squad which has finished runners-up in the league for the past three seasons. Gabriel and Myles Lewis-Skelly have also put pen to paper on new contracts in the off-season, with a long-term extension for teenager Ethan Nwaneri believed to be all-but completed.
The Sun
24 minutes ago
- The Sun
Arsenal CONFIRM £63.5million Viktor Gyokeres transfer as striker takes iconic No14 made famous by Thierry Henry
ARSENAL have confirmed the £63.5million signing of Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon. The Swede, 27, has penned a five-year deal worth around £300,000 a week. Only Bukayo Saka now earns more at Arsenal than the Emirates new boy. The Gunners will pay an initial £54.8m up front, with a further £8.7m in additional clauses. These add-ons include Gyokeres' goal and assist contributions, as well as whether Arsenal secure a place in the top four or win the Premier League title. The Gunners' new superstar will wear the No14 shirt, most notably worn with distinction by club legend Thierry Henry. Gyokeres had been on Arsenal's radar for around a year. Club bosses also considered the likes of Benjamin Sesko, Alexander Isak and Ollie Watkins. But Arsenal chiefs decided to zone in on former Brighton and Coventry forward Gyokeres back in May. Desperate to complete the move, the striker refused to report for pre-season training at Sporting. 4 4 Having finally secured his dream transfer, Gyokeres will head to Asia to join up with his new team-mates. The forward could feature in an Arsenal shirt for the first time on Thursday as Mikel Arteta 's side take on fierce rivals Tottenham in Hong Kong. Arsenal start pre-season with victory against poor AC Milan side Gyokeres spent five years in British football between 2018 and 2023 across spells at Brighton, Swansea and Coventry. The impressive forward particularly excelled with the latter, scoring 43 times in 116 outings for the Sky Blues. Goals flowed even more freely for Gyokeres after he completed a £21m move to Portuguese giants Sporting two years ago. The 6ft 2in ace crashed in 97 goals and 102 appearances for the Lisbon side, including a stunning Champions League hat-trick against Manchester City last season. Gyokeres now fills a gaping hole in Arsenal's front line. With Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz both out injured during the second half of last season, boss Arteta frequently had to play midfielder Mikel Merino as a makeshift No9. The Spaniard has now landed the combative, prolific front man that he so desired. Gyokeres is the sixth signing of what has been a busy summer window at the Emirates. He follows Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera through the door at the Emirates. 4
