Viktor Gyokeres: Arsenal transfer talks ‘accelerating’ for ‘£70m deal’ with Sporting

Arsenal are advancing with a “degree of caution” over a £70 million move for Sporting talisman Viktor Gyokeres, according to reports.

Sweden international Gyokeres, 27, was only eclipsed by Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe in the European Golden Shoe standings in 2024/25 and has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League.

Gunners sporting director Andrea Berta’s negotiations for the former Coventry City and Brighton & Hove Albion striker are “accelerating”, BBC Sport said.

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Why do Arsenal want to sign Viktor Gyokeres?

Second-placed Arsenal scored 17 fewer times last season than Liverpool, who finished 10 points clear with the help of 29-goal Premier League top scorer Mohamed Salah.

No Arsenal player reached double figures in the top flight, while Bukayo Saka was their top scorer in the Champions League and Brazil forward Gabriel Jesus spent much of the campaign injured.

“Do I have to make it more clear?” Arteta asked in May, having not added a forward to his squad during the winter transfer window despite Kai Havertz suffering an injury.

“Was it clear in January or not? I want the best team, the best players. If we have three scorers of over 25 [goals], bring them in – we’re going to be a much better team. There are not that many in the Premier League.”

Gyokeres has scored 97 times in 102 games in all competitions during his two seasons with Sporting, winning the Portuguese title twice.

Viktor Gyokeres transfer fee

Sporting president Frederico Varandas has previously dismissed reports that Gyokeres would leave for £59m but said the club would not demand his full release clause of 100m euros (more than £86m).

“To this day, Sporting have not had an offer for Gyokeres,” Varandas said in June. “I said it’s not worth us setting a value because I don’t know what will happen in a year’s time. What I can guarantee is that I will not demand 100m euros.’”

Sporting signed Gyokeres from second-tier Coventry for £20m on a five-year deal in July 2023, winning the league by 10 points that season under current Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim.

The Portuguese’s move to Old Trafford last season led to speculation that Amorim wanted to sign Gyokeres, but a report in Record last month said that the player’s representatives had informed United he would not be joining them.

Viktor Gyokeres stats

Gyokeres joined Brighton from Brommapojkarna in 2018 but did not make a league appearance for the Seagulls, making loan moves to St Pauli, Swansea City and Coventry before joining the Sky Blues on a permanent basis in 2021, where he established himself as a prolific forward by scoring 18 goals in 47 games in his first season.

Coventry reached the Championship play-off final with the help of 23 goals in 50 matches from Gyokeres the following season, and he finished on a total of 43 goals in 116 games for the club, including his loan spell.

Gyokeres netted 29 times in the Primeira Liga in 2023/24, finishing as top scorer by eight goals in the top flight as part of a campaign in which he struck 43 times in 50 appearances in all competitions.

Despite Amorim’s departure, Sporting won the title again in 2024/25 as Gyokeres scored 39 league goals – 20 more than any other player.

A Sweden debutant in 2019, he has 15 goals and six assists in 26 international appearances and was the 2024/25 Nations League top scorer with nine goals, finishing one ahead of Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who is the all-time top scorer in international football.

When does Arsenal’s 2025/26 Premier League season start and end?

Having been runners-up to Liverpool in 2024/25, Arsenal resume their rivalry with United on the opening matchweek of the 2025/26 season.

The game at Old Trafford is at 16:30 on Sunday, August 17 and is live on Sky Sports Main Event, Premier League and Ultra in the UK.

The last round of matches will all start at the same time on May 24 2026. No rounds will take place within 60 hours of each other and there will be no fixture on December 24.