Viktor Gyokeres was “offered” to Real Madrid by Sporting Lisbon before he made the switch to Arsenal, according to one of his representatives.

Speaking to Swedish television, Jonathan Chalkias revealed the hurdles that Sporting put in the way of the deal meant that securing the transfer was extremely challenging:

“It was a mess. There was a gentleman’s agreement with the previous sporting director. If Hugo Viana were still at Sporting, the deal would have been done in an hour. Everything was written; we didn’t have time to start a legal battle.”

“I don’t understand how a player who scored so many goals and won three trophies didn’t deserve more respect. The sacrifices we made were the turning point for the deal to happen. They offered Gyokeres to Real Madrid, they even made headlines with Man United, but there was a commitment with Arsenal.”

How much did Arsenal end up paying for Gyokeres?

It is believed that the overall package is worth £63.5m, with £55m being paid up front, with the rest due in performance-related add-ons.

Negotiations were painstaking. An initial agreement for Gyokeres was reached in mid-July, but it took until July 26th for the move to be officially announced.

Are the Gunners expected to sign any more players this summer?

Reports suggest that manager Mikel Arteta is keen on recruiting Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze but there is a reluctance to pay the 27-year-old’s £67.5m release clause in full.

There is still hope that the Eagles will lower their demands before the transfer window closes on September 1st, but it appears that a bid for the player is not imminent.

Pursuing a move for Eze would be easier if Arsenal could sell one or two players. The likes of Leandro Trossard, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Fabio Vieira, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Reiss Nelson could all leave the Emirates over the coming weeks.

Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here