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ARSENAL START WITH A WIN AGAINST NEWBIES COVENTRY

 

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FULL POST MATCH ANALYSIS FROM COVENTRY PROMOTION TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE

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FRANK LAMPARD IS DOING WELL WITH COVENTRY

Frank Lampard's Coventry City remain unbeaten in the Championship this season, topping the league with 22 points after 10 games. 

They have scored 29 goals and kept a clean sheet in their last five games.

- The Athletic

VIKTOR GYOKERES TO UNDERGO ARSENAL MEDICAL AS £63.7M STAR PICKS GUNNER SHIRT NUMBER

Arsenal are finally on course to seal the signing of Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres following a gruelling negotiation process

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.

SPORTING PRESIDENT RIPS INTO WANTAWAY VIKTOR GYOKERES AND PROMISES DISCIPLINARY ACTION - AS £70M ARSENAL TARGET GOES ON STRIKE

Sporting Clube president Frederico Varandas has confirmed that Viktor Gyokeres will face disciplinary action after going on strike amid strong interest from Arsenal.

Gyokeres, 27, failed to report for the club's pre-season training this week, despite Sporting having granted him an extended summer break until Saturday, July 12. 

That patience has now run out, with Varandas vowing to hand the in-demand striker a 'hefty fine.

Sporting's president confirmed that Viktor Gyokeres will face a 'hefty fine' for going on strike

Gyokeres is thought to have agreed pre-contract terms with Arsenal, with the only remaining stumbling block in the way of a move to north London being his transfer fee.

The Gunners are yet to meet Sporting's firm £69m valuation - but Varandas' recent comments show that there are no signs of desperation from the Portuguese club.

'We're calm. Everything can be solved with the closure of the market, a hefty fine and an apology to the group,' he told Portuguese news agency Lusa.

Gyokeres failed to report for the club's pre-season training this week as he seeks a move away

'If they don't want to pay Viktor's fair market value, we'll be very comfortable with that for the next three years.

'If the geniuses who are devising this strategy think that this puts pressure on me to make it easier for him to leave, not only are they completely wrong, but they are also making it more complicated for the player to leave.

'No one is above the interests of the club. Whoever they are.'

.

Arsenal have agreed pre-contract terms with the striker but must cough up £70m to sign him

Gyokeres scored a staggering 54 goals for Sporting last term across all competitions, and is rated as one of the most prolific forwards in Europe.

The former Coventry City and Brighton striker currently has three years still remaining on his contract with the Portuguese giants, though it appears unlikely in the extreme that he will be seeing out those terms as things stand.

Since making a £20m switch from Coventry to Sporting in 2023, Gyokeres has gone on a remarkable scoring spree in Portugal, netting 97 times in just 102 appearances across two seasons. 

The Swedish international scored 54 goals for Sporting across all competitions last season

Gyokeres scored 43 goals for Coventry in his two and a half seasons, but never got to suit up in the Premier League for Brighton.

He has previously spoken of his desire to return to the English top flight, to get revenge for his empty spell with the Seagulls.

'It's one of the biggest leagues in Europe,' Gyokeres said. 'I spent several years there without being able to play a single match.

'So, of course, it's something I would like to do. It would be a great revenge.' 

As reported by Mail Sport, Mikel Arteta had been keen to sign a new striker before his squad jets out to Singapore on July 19 to begin their tour of Asia.

But as it stands, Sporting seemingly hold all the cards and are more than happy to keep the Gunners waiting.

- YASEEN ZAMAN

FABRIZIO ROMANO: ARSENAL TURN BACK ON 'MONSTER' STRICKER, TALKS 'NOT DEVELOPING '

Arsenal's interest in Viktor Gyokeres isn't developing, and their full focus is on signing RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Gunners are set to sign a new number nine this summer, and it has long been speculated that Gyokeres and Sesko were their top two targets. Both enjoyed superb past seasons at Sporting CP and Leipzig, respectively, and are the centre-forward profile that Mikel Arteta is crying out for.

Gyokeres, 27, is the finished article, given his age, and he has previously spent time in English football with Coventry City. But Sesko, 22, looks to be Arteta's preferred choice and the club are pursuing the Slovenian's signature.

Romano: Arsenal Put Gyokeres On Backburner

The Gunners are advancing for Sesko

Sesko is a long-term target who was on Arsenal's radar last summer but turned down a move to the Emirates over doubts over his game time. He instead opted to continue his development at Leipzig, where he has earned a reputation as one of Europe's most highly regarded target men.

Romano has revealed that work on a deal for the 41-cap Slovenia international is "advancing very well" and that he's "sold on Arteta's project". He suggested that there are "concrete possibilities" of the frontman getting "closer and closer to possibly completing his move".

Gyokeres, meanwhile, could be set to miss out on a switch to North London, with Romano stating on his YouTube channel:

"It's important to say that at the moment, the other situation on the Arsenal side, Viktor Gyokeres, the other name in the list of Arsenal, at the moment, the situation is not developing. Arsenal are focused on Benjamin Sesko, discussing and advancing for Benjamin Sesko… for Viktor Gyokeres, I'm not aware of an official bid from Arsenal or any sort of agreement."

Gyokeres, whose teammate Zeno Dabast called 'a monster', has been widely tipped to arrive in the Premier League this summer and join a Champions League club. Arsenal looked favourites to sign the Swede, but Chelsea were also touted as a possibility before they signed Liam Delap for £30m.

Manchester United may now have a free run at Ruben Amorim's former Sporting striker amid the Gunners seemingly preferring Sesko. He is reportedly "very keen" to join the Red Devils, despite the club's lack of participation in the Champions League next season.

Arsenal's long-standing interest in Sesko means they have done extensive groundwork not only on a deal but also on how the player will fit Arteta's system. GIVEMESPORT sources learned in January that the Spanish coach's admiration of the Slovenian is "undeniable" and he'd "love to have him on board".

All statistics courtesy of SofaScore - correct as of 08.06.2025

- Matthew Guyett

BALLARD SENDS BLACK CATS TO WEMBLEY | SUNDERLAND 1-1 COVENTRY CITY | EFL

 

"THEY DIDN'T DESERVE IT" | FRANK LAMPARD ON COVENTRY'S EXIT FROM THE SEMI-FINALS PLAYOFF GAME

 

SUNDERLAND AFC 1-1 COVENTRY CITY | EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS

 

FRANK LAMPARD CONFIRMED AS COVENTRY CITY MANAGER

Frank Lampard has been named as manager of Coventry City. Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images

Frank Lampard has been appointed as manager of Championship side Coventry City, the club confirmed on Thursday.

Lampard, who has signed a 2 ½ year deal, replaces Mark Robins, who was sacked on Nov. 7 after their seventh loss in 14 league games.

Robins first managed Coventry between 2012-2013. He returned to the club in 2017, guiding them to two promotions as they rose from League Two to the Championship.

They came close to winning promotion to the Premier League, losing the 2023 playoff final to Luton Town on penalties. Robins then led Coventry back to Wembley last season as they reached the FA Cup semifinal, losing again on penalties, this time to Manchester United.

Lampard's appointment comes with the club in 17th position in the table, 10 points off the playoff places.

"I am delighted that Frank Lampard has agreed to join our club as head Ccoach. Frank cut his teeth in the Championship and knows what is needed in this League to be successful," Coventry owner Doug King said.

The Chelsea legend last coached in 2023 as interim boss of his former club, which he also managed full time between 2019-2021.

He began his coaching career at Derby County in 2018, with a stint at Premier League side Everton in 2022-2023.

- ESPN

FIRST WOMAN TO MANAGE PRO ENGLISH MEN'S TEAM REPLACED AFTER TWO.WEEKS

Pro Sports Images 

Forest Green Rovers coach Hannah Dingley's spell as the first woman to manage a men's professional football team in England will come to an end this week after the fourth-tier club appointed David Horseman as their new head coach.

Dingley, who has a UEFA pro licence, was appointed as caretaker head coach earlier this month following Duncan Ferguson's exit. She was also the only woman to manage a club academy in the English men's league.

Horseman arrives from Southampton where he coached the south-coast club's B team, but Dingley will remain in charge when they take on Coventry City and the Everton Under-21 teams in friendly matches this week.

"I'm grateful to Hannah for holding the fort for the club while we went through the complete recruitment process," Forest Green owner Dale Vince said.

"Although she did not get the top job this time, it's undoubtedly been a valuable experience and a big step on her career path."

Horseman also coached the Southampton first team when Ruben Selles was in charge and Vince said he stood out from over 100 applicants.

"We're delighted to have David join as our head coach, he brings a wealth of experience and a modern approach to the game which matches our own," he added.

- Reuters 

COVENTRY CITY 2-4 NORWICH | CHAMPIONSHIP 2023