Arsenal at crucial stage of Gyokeres transfer with final decision to be made

Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres has wowed scouts from top clubs across Europe and Arsenal are weighing up whether to join the race for the £60million star

Arsenal are reportedly set to decide whether to go all out to sign Viktor Gyokeres, or pursue an alternative. Gyokeres is the hottest striker on the transfer market this summer after plundering goals for Sporting Lisbon, but Arsenal are keeping their options open for the time being.

The Sweden international has contributed a whopping 53 goals and 13 assists in 51 games across all competitions for Sporting this season and the Portuguese club know they can no longer keep hold of him. He has attracted interest from all over Europe, wowing scouts with his ability and consistency in front of goal, and now a decision is imminent.

Sporting wrapped up the league title on the weekend and are now going for the domestic double against Benfica in the cup final on Sunday. Once that game is out of the way it will be open season, with clubs submitting bids to Sporting and Gyokeres making his mind up.

Arsenal are in the market for a world-class centre-forward this summer and know they need to splash the cash, with a third successive runner-up finish coming in the Premier League. New sporting director Andrea Berta is the man tasked with finding the right player – and Gyokeres could well be that man.

However, The Athletic reports that the Gunners are still yet to firmly select Gyokeres as their number one option, with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko also in the picture. Arsenal have kept tabs on Sesko for some time and he may well offer a cheaper alternative to the in-demand Swede.

Gyokeres is understood to be available for £60million this summer, with Sporting happy to do business for less than his reported £83.6m release clause. It seems that both sides of the potential transfer are keeping their cards close to their chest for now, with Sporting midfielder Pedro Goncalves giving an insight into his team-mate’s thinking this week.

“I asked him and we all asked him. He says he’s not a fortune teller. We still have the Portuguese Cup against Benfica to play,” he told Canal 11. “I have a very good relationship with him, but I don’t talk about it with him. What I know is because of Fabrizio Romano… I’m sticking with him. I don’t know if he’s going to leave.”

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Mikel Arteta has spoken about what the club needs to go to the next level ahead of Arsenal’s final game of the season. “If you want to win major trophies, you have to be the best in the market, no?" Arteta said. “What is clear with the amount of injuries that we had in the front line is that we need a goal threat and we need firepower.

“Understanding that the context can change tomorrow, we cannot rely just on the numbers that we had before. We have to add goals, creativity, and we have to add numbers, and that will be in different positions.”