Sporting CP are advancing talks with Almeria for the signing of striker Luis Suarez, potentially impacting Arsenal’s move for Viktor Gyokeres.
Fabrizio Romano reports that talks between Sporting CP and Almeria for the transfer of Luis Suarez have accelerated, with an agreement now close for the striker to join Sporting.
Romano adds that the final details are set to be sorted this week, with a deal described as “almost there”.
That could be good news for Arsenal, with Suarez viewed as a replacement for Viktor Gyokeres. If Sporting finalise a move for Suarez, that would seemingly make the club more willing to let Gyokeres go.
Colombian centre-forward Suarez, not to be confused with the former Liverpool player, scored 31 goals and assisted eight in 43 matches for Almeria last season.
Though the Spanish club were playing in the second tier, Suarez notably scored a hat-trick against La Liga club Sevilla in the Copa del Rey in January, and he’s spent seasons playing in La Liga and Ligue 1 in the past.
As for Gyokeres, the player and his agent were in Mallorca over the weekend, with no final agreement for his transfer to Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta was asked about the striker in his most recent press conference on Monday, responding: “You know I cannot comment on any player that is not part of our group yet. When we have something concrete to offer in any case, [for] any player, we will do that.”
Meanwhile, reports linking Gyokeres with a potential Manchester United hijack have been widely discredited over the last 24 hours.