Arsenal are finally on course to seal the signing of Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres following a gruelling negotiation process
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| Viktor Gyokeres is finally set to join Arsenal, pending a medical(Image: Getty Images) |
Arsenal are now within touching distance of landing Viktor Gyokeres after the Swedish striker was finally granted permission to undergo a medical by Sporting CP. The Gunners have been locked in talks with the Portuguese champions over a swoop for the 27-year-old centre-forward, who has already verbally agreed a five-year contract ahead of moving to the Emirates.
Arsenal and Sporting struck an agreement in principle worth an initial £55million plus £8.7m in add-ons on Sunday July 13 but discussions have rumbled on over the structure of those bonuses.
However, the Gunners, who have been striving to get Gyokeres to Asia to play a part in their pre-season tour, have now thrashed out the final details and shaken hands with Sporting following a gruelling negotiation process.
Sporting are understood to have received Arsenal's formal proposal in writing on Tuesday night and the two clubs have since had their lawyers working through the finer details of the paperwork.
The ex-Coventry City frontman is now poised to undergo a medical on Saturday and should those checks be successful, he will become Mikel Arteta's sixth acquisition of the summer window. It is understood, that once a deal is officially signed off, he will be handed the club's iconic number 14 shirt, made famous by Gunners legend Thierry Henry.
Arsenal face AC Milan in their first pre-season friendly on Wednesday before also squaring off against Newcastle in Singapore. They then face Tottenham in Hong Kong on July 31 and there's optimism Gyokeres will be signed in time to feature in the Far East.
The prolific attacker mustered an astonishing 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting and also registered 28 assists during his two-year spell in Lisbon.
The Sweden international also won back-to-back Primera Liga titles and the Taca de Portugal before going on strike to facilitate his return to England.
Manchester United had shown interest in reuniting Gyokeres with his former boss Ruben Amorim but the player only wanted Arsenal following several rounds of discussions with both Arteta and Gunners sporting director Andrea Berta.
Incredibly, Gyokeres will be the first out-and-out striker signed by the club since January 2018 when Arsenal landed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund.
The Gunners had also considered a swoop for RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko but they were not prepared to move ahead with a transfer due to the figures that were quoted.
Gyokeres will join Cristhian Mosquera, the 21-year-old Valencia centre-back who has now flown to Singapore to team up with the squad, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Norgaard in signing on the dotted line at the Emirates this summer.
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