Arsenal have been handed a huge boost in their pursuit of Viktor Gyokeres with Sporting CP lowering their initial demands, according to reports.
The Gunners have lined up deals for midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard, while Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has joined from Chelsea.
A new centre-forward remains at the top of their agenda as Arsenal look to bring in a top-class goalscoring striker ahead of the new campaign.
Sporting CP’s Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko are the main two options, while Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike has also been linked.
A deal for Gyokeres, who has also attracted interest from Manchester United, has been difficult for clubs to agree this summer with Sporting reportedly demanding €80m to get a deal over the line.
It is understood that Gyokeres believed that there was a gentleman’s agreement in place that would see Sporting accept any bids reaching €70m – but the Portuguese club appear to have changed their mind, to the fury of the Sweden international.
Sporting president Frederico Varandas said over the weekend that Gyokeres “will not leave for €60+€10 million” this summer as they look to pull in a bigger fee.
Varandas said: “Sporting is very calm about Gyokeres. Sporting does not need to sell Gyokeres.
“We have already passed the stage where we had to sell our best assets. We do not have to sell him. In the same way that we do not have to sell him, we are still sensitive to Viktor ‘s dreams.
“Sporting has a commitment, made by the president, not to ask for the value of the termination clause and to be reasonable in relation to Viktor’s performance last season.
“If you ask me today, there is a strong possibility that Viktor will leave. We have been keeping an eye on the market, I saw a player like Zubimendi, who is six months younger than Viktor, go to Arsenal for €65 million (£55m).
“I saw two players being sold in the Premier League – Matheus Cunha and [Bryan] Mbeumo – forwards who do not have the quality of Viktor, in my opinion, were sold for around €70m.
“We are talking about players who are 26 years old. So, given the demands we are making in relation to Viktor ‘s value, I believe he could leave, unless he has the worst agent in the world. Which I find hard to believe.
“I won’t say what the price we asked for. It was communicated to the agent. But I can guarantee that Viktor will not leave for €60+€10 million. Viktor already knows and I want Sporting fans to take advantage of this summer, in which they are two-time champions, in which they have a double, to celebrate, to be calm.
“There are only two scenarios: one club respects the price requested by Sporting and Viktor will fulfil his dream, and from that moment we will be ready to attack the targets, or that club does not want Viktor and Viktor, with a three-year contract, stays at Sporting and we will be very happy.”
But now Portuguese publication A Bola claims that a deal for Gyokeres ‘could be achieved through realistic variables’ with the report insisting ‘bonuses are allowed’ as Arsenal search for an agreement.
The report adds: ‘If someone comes to Sporting’s administration with 80 million, they can take the player anyway; if, for example, they only have 70 million immediately, then they can try to reach the target by including realistic bonuses that allow Sporting to have some security that in the end they will sell the Swedish international’s pass for the amount that they considered fair this summer.’
There have been fears at Sporting that Gyokeres would follow through with his threat to strike and not return to training on Monday with the rest of his team-mates.
However, A Bola claim that Gyokeres ‘has been given permission by Sporting to only report to the squad on Friday the 11th, the day before the Sporting squad leaves for the Algarve’.
The Arsenal target is ‘therefore allowed to have a few more days of vacation’ and fears about him not turning up on Monday ‘is thus dispelled, and our newspaper can guarantee that the Swede will be in the last group of players to start pre-season training’.