Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres is ‘preparing’ for his deal to Arsenal to collapse with a ‘shock therapy’ loan prepared, according to reports.
The Gunners have already made the signings of Kepa Arrizabalaga and Martin Zubimendi from Chelsea and Real Sociedad respectively, while Christian Norgaard is set to join from Brentford by the end of this week.
Arsenal also have lots of other irons in the fire as they look to sign a new centre-back, playmaker, winger and centre-forward before the end of the window.
The new striker they are looking to sign is Sporting CP’s Gyokeres after deciding to ramp up their interest in the Sweden international with a deal for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko proving tricky.
And transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed over the weekend that Arsenal are ‘getting closer’ to signing Gyokeres with the Gunners ‘now advancing’ towards a deal.
Romano wrote on X: ‘Arsenal are now getting closer to signing Viktor Gyökeres after new round of talks in recent hours. Gyökeres will NOT return for training at Sporting as he’s fully focused on leaving the club; Arsenal are now advancing. Nothing done yet but discussions underway.’
The transfer expert added: ‘More on Viktor Gyökeres big news. Gyökeres has reached TOTAL agreement with Arsenal on contract terms and informed Sporting about his desire to join #AFC. No intention to discuss other options, only to proceed with Arsenal as soon as possible. Deal well underway.’
That came before a report in CNN Portugal claimed that Gyokeres was ‘on his way to Arsenal’ with an €80m fee ‘agreed’ with the ‘fixed fee’ amounting to €65m.
And now Portuguese newspaper Record claims that Gyokeres hopes that a deal for him to sign with Arsenal can be ‘closed in the next few hours’ but he is still preparing ‘for the worst’.
Record write: ‘The Swede hopes that the deal with Arsenal will be closed in the next few hours but is already prepared for the worst. He does not want to return to the club and admits he could force a loan at the end of the market.’
It is claimed that ‘if the rope breaks once and for all’ between Arsenal and Sporting, ending in transfer collapse, then Gyokeres plans to ‘take the conflict to new levels’.
If a transfer to Arsenal falls through, a ‘loan to another club comes in, a kind of shock therapy for the discomfort resulting from a possible failure to leave for the Emirates.’
Record describes it as a ‘similar formula was used last season when Napoli were negotiating [Victor] Osimhen with Chelsea but there was no agreement, and the forward ended up being loaned to Galatasaray’.
It is claimed that Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce is ‘already positioned for this possibility, having shown interest in Gyökeres and sought to find out the conditions’.
The report continues: ‘This is still a distant horizon and may never become a reality, but it is being considered behind the scenes. Even though a final rapprochement between Arsenal and Sporting seems to be just a short distance away, Gyökeres is prepared for the worst.’
