Arsenal have been backed as the favorites to sign Sporting CP and Sweden international striker Viktor Gyokeres this summer.
The Gunners already expressed their interest in the forward and are monitoring him following a recovery from minor knee surgery this offseason.
According to BetVictor, Arsenal are 3/1 favorites to land Gyokeres ahead of Chelsea and Barcelona who are also keen on the Swedish forward.
The former Coventry City striker has had a couple of incredible seasons. Last year he made 33 appearances, scoring 29 goals, and the year before he made 46 appearances, scoring 21.
Gyokeres is an out-and-out striker, which the Gunners have lacked since Olivier Giroud left, making him a wise purchase for Mikel Arteta.
How much will Gyokeres cost?
The 26-year-old has a release clause of £84 million in his contract and Sporting CP say they will not sell him unless a team pays the full price.
This led to a delay in any bids for Gyokeres as Arsenal may have been reluctant to pay the hefty fee for a player who has recently been injured. However as reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano posted on X almost 2 months ago saying,
“Viktor Gyokeres, expected to be out for less than one month after minor inception to his knee. Not a serious injury, just preventive for future.”
So Mikel Arteta should be comfortable with the Swede’s fitness and could become impatient given the lack of Arsenal transfer business so far and ask the club to pay the £84m asking price.
Arsenal searching for a striker
Ivan Toney is another forward that the Gunners are keen on signing amid interest from Manchester United, West Ham, and Spurs. BetVictor has the Gunners at 4/1 to sign Toney this summer.
Arsenal fans backed the club to sign Newcastle attacker Alexander Isak in a recent poll over the likes of Ivan Toney, Victor Osimhen, and Viktor Gyokeres.
Isak is backed at 5/1 to make the move to North London but it seems highly unlikely Newcastle United, with their vast riches, will be interested in selling such a prized asset as the Swedish striker to a top 6 rival.
Despite the long-standing rumours of Ivan Toney moving across London to the Emirates or Victor Osimhen making the move to North London, the bookies are rarely wrong so Viktor Gyokeres may well be wearing the famous red and white of Arsenal soon enough.