Arsenal target Viktor Gyokeres has ‘sacrificed’ some of his own salary in order to boost the Gunners’ bid to land the striker from Sporting CP, according to reports.
The Gunners have already completed the signings of Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga from Real Sociedad and Chelsea respectively, while they have also lined up a move for Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard.
Arsenal have flown out of the blocks in the summer transfer window and continue to be active with a centre-back, playmaker, winger and centre-forward seemingly their next objectives.
The Gunners have reportedly agreed personal terms with Valencia centre-back Cristhian Mosquera, while they are ready to bid for Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze within in the next two weeks.
Arsenal are also chasing Real Madrid winger Rodrygo as their dream target in that position and Sporting CP’s Gyokeres has risen to the top of their list of striker options.
A deal for the latter had been getting trickier in recent weeks after Sporting CP seemingly changed their asking price and reportedly breaking a gentleman’s agreement with Gyokeres.
Sporting president Frederico Varandas made it clear last month 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.”
CNN Portugal claimed on Sunday that the Gunners have now broken the deadlock in talks with Gyokeres ‘on his way to Arsenal’ this summer.
And another Portuguese publication, Record, have built on that report by insisting that Gyokeres has ‘sacrificed part of his future contract with Arsenal in order to improve the conditions of the offer that was presented to Sporting’.
Gyokeres has given up €2m ‘that were part of his salary package, planned for the five seasons of his contract with the Gunners, so that the aforementioned amount could be used to increase to 65 million euros the fixed amount of the new proposal that the English club put on the table.’
Arsenal have made a second bid of €65m plus another €15m in bonuses ‘subject to objectives’ to reach a transfer worth a potential €80m (£69m) with Gyokeres making a big effort to help force through a transfer.