Sporting CP are searching for a new striker as they prepare for Viktor Gyokeres’ departure, with the centre-forward one of two realistic targets for Arsenal this summer.
Isaan Khan reports for the Daily Mail that Sporting CP are currently searching for a new striker, believing that Viktor Gyokeres will leave this summer. Khan adds that Arsenal are one of the teams in the running, though Manchester United are also interested.
Alex Crook reports for talkSPORT that Arsenal’s Premier League rivals believe the Gunners are the favourites for Gyokeres, and that they’ll win the race this summer.
Crook adds that the player himself is open to the move, and favours the transfer to north London, and Arsenal are confident of signing him when the window opens.
Sami Mokbel reports for the BBC that Alexander Isak of Newcastle United is Arsenal’s dream target, and he’d even by open to a move to London. But the cost of such a deal makes it unrealistic.
Mokbel adds that Arsenal’s alternative targets as RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting’s Gyokeres, and there’s now considerable internal backing for a move for the Swedish striker.
David Ornstein confirms to NBC Sports that Isak is probably not a realistic signing this summer, whilst Gyokeres is probably Arsenal’s best value option right now. Ornstein adds that time is ticking and other interest is building, so the Gunners may need to move fast.
According to previous reports, Gyokeres has a verbal agreement to leave Sporting for a big in the region of €65-70m (£55m-59.2m) this summer.
For the time being, the striker’s full focus will be on winning the league with Sporting. He provided an assist in their title clash against second-place Benfica on Saturday, but with the game ending 1-1, Sporting need a win over Vitoria on the final day to secure the trophy.
Sporting then face Benfica again in the final of the Portuguese cup on May 25th.
Gyokeres now has 52 goals and 13 assists in 50 games for Sporting this season, though those figures include 19 penalties.