According to Portuguese outlet Record, Arsenal have held talks with Sporting Lisbon over the prospect of signing Viktor Gyokeres.
The Gunners have signed just two players in David Raya (loan to permanent deal) and Riccardo Calafiori this summer, but there should be more arrivals before the transfer deadline on August 30.
The club have been touted to land a new striker for some period of time and Record claim that the Gunners have held informal talks with Sporting in recent weeks over a possible transfer for Gyokeres.
However, Sporting have made it clear that they won’t entertain anything less than the £86 million release clause to part ways with the striker.
Must sign
Arsenal finished just 2 points behind Manchester City for the Premier League title. They had a terrific 2nd half to the season, but suffered just 1 defeat against Aston Villa which proved costly in the end.
The club also had dismal performances against Newcastle United, Fulham and West Ham United where they lacked the cutting edge in the final 3rd. A striker like Gyokeres could make the difference up front.
The Swede was extraordinary for Sporting last term with 43 goals and 15 assists in 50 outings. He was brilliant with his goalscoring and chance creation and would be a proper signing for the London giants.
The big question mark is whether the club can afford to sign him. The Gunners seem to be concerned over the PSR spending limits and they recently purchased Riccardo Calafiori after agreeing to sell Emile Smith Rowe.
The club are currently dependent on Eddie Nketiah’s exit to land Mikel Merino. The club may need another high-profile departure in the coming days to afford the signing of Gyokeres from the Portuguese champions.
Arsenal need to be quick with the process as Sporting may not be willing to negotiate payment terms unless they have time to find a suitable replacement before the transfer window closes on August 30.
