Arsenal can take some advice from one of their bitter rivals as they look to complete a deal for Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres.
The Gunners have been in negotiations with Sporting over a deal to sign Gyokeres over the last week, as they look to bring the striker to the Emirates Stadium.
Gyokeres scored 54 goals in 52 appearances for Sporting last season, which has fuelled speculation that he could complete a big-money move to the Premier League this summer.
Arsenal have been in the market for a new striker for some time, with the club holding talks with Sporting over a deal worth around £69million for Gyokeres.
However, there have been reports in recent days that negotiations between Arsenal and Sporting have stalled as they continue to hold talks over the structure of the fee for the deal.
Gyokeres is seemingly determined to move to Arsenal this summer, with the striker not returning to training at Sporting as originally scheduled this week.
This has led to comments from the Sporting club president Frederico Varandas addressed Gyokeres’ future amid the continued links with Arsenal.
“We’re calm. Everything will be resolved when the window closes, a hefty fine and an apology to the group,” Varandas told Agencia Lusa (via Record ).
“If they [clubs] don’t want to pay the fair market price for Viktor Gyokeres, we will be very comfortable with that for the next three years.
“If someone puts pressure on me to facilitate a departure, they are also making the player’s exit even more complicated. Nobody is above the club. Whoever they are.”
Sporting are believed to be seeking a fee worth around £69million including add-ons this summer. However, there were reports earlier in the summer which stated that €65m (£56million) was the asking price.
If true, this would not be the first time that Sporting have changed their stance midway through negotiations of a transfer. It was back in 2023 when Pedro Porro was on the verge of signing for Tottenham Hotspur when the deal nearly didn not go through.
The Athletic reported in January 2023 that the deal was “off” after Sporting changed their stance on the terms for the transfer. This, the report claimed, was despite Varandas apparently telling Porro that he could leave Sporting that window.
In the end, Spurs and Sporting did eventually agree a deal for Porro with the right-back going on to move to North London a couple of days after the aforementioned report.
If this trend continues, it could be that Arsenal may still win the race to sign Gyokeres, and an agreement with Sporting can be reached in the end.
