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Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Viktor Gyokeres' ex-team-mate doesn't hold back after Arsenal transfer saga – 'Unnecessary'
Viktor Gyokeres finally secured a £63.7million move to Arsenal from Sporting CP, but his move to London was far from plain sailing, with one former team-mate glad to see the back of the saga Pedro Goncalves admits he's glad to see the back of the "unnecessary" transfer saga between Arsenal and Sporting CP over Viktor Gyokeres. Having played his part in helping the Lions secure a Primeira Liga and Taca de Portugal double last season with 54 goals across all competitions, Gyokeres had interest from a number of Premier League clubs. While Manchester United and Arsenal were initially thought to be in a two-horse race for the Swedish striker, Gyokeres made it clear the Emirates Stadium was his destination of choice, pushing hard for a transfer to the north Londoners. When talks between the two clubs began to stall due to Arsenal looking to secure the 27-year-old for less than his £67.7million valuation, Gyokeres opted to ditch pre-season training and go on strike in an attempt to move things along. He felt Sporting had U-turned on their gentleman's agreement that they would not stand in his way to join an elite club this summer for a pre-agreed price. Gyokeres' actions appeared to have little impact on club president Frederico Varandas, who insisted that strike action would not change Sporting CP's stance. He told Lusa at the time: "We're calm. Everything can be solved with the closure of the market, a hefty fine and an apology to the group. If they don't want to pay Viktor's fair market value, we'll be very comfortable with that for the next three years. "If the geniuses who are devising this strategy think that this puts pressure on me to make it easier for him to leave, not only are they completely wrong, but they are also making it more complicated for the player to leave. No one is above the interests of the club. Whoever they are." Thankfully for Arsenal, they were ultimately able to agree a deal with the Portuguese giants in the end, forking out £63.7m to secure Gyokeres on a five-year contract. And while Goncalves is sad to see his team-mate part ways with Sporting, he is overjoyed that the dramatic transfer saga full of twists and turns has finally come to an end. In an interview with O Jogo, the 27-year-old said: "I wasn't hurt. I wished him the best of luck. I said, 'Finally'. This whole thing wasn't necessary, in my opinion... but that's football. "I wished him the best of luck, and he said thank you. And that's it. He had to leave, and others came." Meanwhile, Sporting CP head coach Rui Borges also gave his own take on Gyokeres' recent departure, echoing many of the sentiments that Goncalves shared. He said: "I haven't spoken yet, but I may speak to thank everyone for everything. "Hurt? No. Honestly, I wasn't hurt. That's football. It's part of football. There are arrivals and departures. We have to know how to deal with it. We have to readjust all the time. He was a very important player, not only this season. "I wish him the best of luck in the world, he marked an era in our football. He will be missed in his own way. We will have other players. We will continue to be competitive. Players come and go, but the club remains. Others will come in and become great and better and better." Sporting have wasted little time in spending the funds that they received in their multi-million pound sale of Gyokeres, signing UD Almeria's Luis Suarez as they look to ensure they have a proven No. 9 primed and ready for the new season. The Colombian impressed in the Segunda Division last term, scoring 27 goals and creating eight assists for his side, and many fans will be eager to see how he makes the transition to Liga Portugal. Speaking about Sporting's new acquisition, Borges added: "I believe he will also make his mark on Sporting in some way and that he will help us to remain strong and victorious. He is different from Viktor, but I believe he will be important." Gyokeres comes as the latest in a wealth of signings made by Arsenal this summer, joining the likes of Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Noni Madueke as a new arrival. However, it appears as though Mikel Arteta isn't done quite yet in strengthening his squad ahead of the new Premier League season. The Gunners are still hunting Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze. While the attacking midfielder, who provided eight goals and assists a-piece in the Premier League last season, has an £68m release clause in his contract, it is thought Arsenal are trying to broker a deal at around the £60m mark. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
News18
7 days ago
- Sport
- News18
Arsenal Finally Get New 14 As 63.5 Million Star 'Demands' Thierry Henry's Number
Viktor Gyokeres is set to take the iconic number 14 shirt at Arsenal. Viktor Gyokeres is set to become Arsenal's latest signing of the 2025-26 summer, with the North London club reportedly reaching 'total agreement' with Portuguese side Sporting CP. According to The Athletic, Gyokeres is also set to take up the iconic number 14 shirt, which carries the legacy of the club's greatest-ever player, Thierry Henry, who scored 228 goals in 377 matches and now has a statue outside the Emirates Stadium. Gyokeres is set to undergo his medical on Saturday before reportedly flying to Asia and join Arsenal's pre-season tour. If and when the move is ratified, Gyokeres will end Arsenal's long search for a proper striker. He is coming off 97 goals and 28 assists for Sporting, helping them to consecutive league titles and the Taca de Portugal last season after a £17m move from Championship side Coventry City. A traditional number 9 — that number is currently taken by Brazilian Gabriel Jesus, another high-earner, who's expected to recover from an ACL by the end of the year — Gyokeres also has a tendency to work from the left-hand side, a bit like Henry, who was as prolific at the wing as up front. The weighty number was last worn by academy star Eddie Nketiah until his transfer to Crystal Palace last year. Theo Walcott took it over from Henry after the latter's departure to Barcelona. Former club captain and golden boot winner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also wore it with some success before Nketiah. Gyokeres is said to have pushed quite hard to get a transfer, with some reports claiming he rejected offers from Manchester United and Saudi Pro League clubs, too. He could have opted to take another significant available number, 10, but his decision is being seen as a sign of his confidence. Arsenal have one of the best defenses and midfield combinations in the world, but the striker department is where they have lacked over the last three years of close finishes under boss Mikel Arteta. Gyokeres will compete with German Kai Havertz and join a group which currently has Bukayo Saka, new signing Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard as well. view comments First Published: July 25, 2025, 17:11 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Viktor Gyokeres Arsenal medical plan confirmed as £63.7m transfer agreement finalised
Arsenal are finally on course to seal the signing of Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres following a gruelling negotiation process Arsenal are now within touching distance of landing Viktor Gyokeres after the Swedish striker was finally granted permission to undergo a medical by Sporting CP. The Gunners have been locked in talks with the Portuguese champions over a swoop for the 27-year-old centre-forward, who has already verbally agreed a five-year contract ahead of moving to the Emirates. Arsenal and Sporting struck an agreement in principle worth an initial £55million plus £8.7m in add-ons on Sunday July 13 but discussions have rumbled on over the structure of those bonuses. However, the Gunners, who have been striving to get Gyokeres to Asia to play a part in their pre-season tour, have now thrashed out the final details and shaken hands with Sporting following a gruelling negotiation process. Sporting are understood to have received Arsenal's formal proposal in writing on Tuesday night and the two clubs have since had their lawyers working through the finer details of the paperwork. The ex-Coventry City frontman is now poised to undergo a medical and should those checks be successful, he will become Mikel Arteta's sixth acquisition of the summer window. Arsenal face AC Milan in their first pre-season friendly on Wednesday before also squaring off against Newcastle in Singapore. They then face Tottenham in Hong Kong on July 31 and there's optimism Gyokeres will be signed in time to feature in the Far East. The prolific attacker mustered an astonishing 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting and also registered 28 assists during his two-year spell in Lisbon. The Sweden international also won back-to-back Primera Liga titles and the Taca de Portugal before going on strike to facilitate his return to England. Manchester United had shown interest in reuniting Gyokeres with his former boss Ruben Amorim but the player only wanted Arsenal following several rounds of discussions with both Arteta and Gunners sporting director Andrea Berta. Incredibly, Gyokeres will be the first out-and-out striker signed by the club since January 2018 when Arsenal landed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund. The Gunners had also considered a swoop for RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko but they were not prepared to move ahead with a transfer due to the figures that were quoted. Gyokeres will join Cristhian Mosquera, the 21-year-old Valencia centre-back who has now flown to Singapore to team up with the squad, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Norgaard in signing on the dotted line at the Emirates this summer.
New York Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Arsenal reach full Viktor Gyokeres agreement, medical expected this weekend
Arsenal have reached a full agreement with Sporting CP for the transfer of Viktor Gyokeres. The Premier League side will pay an initial €63.5million (£54.8m; $74.2m) plus €10m in add-ons. Gyokeres has been given permission to travel by Sporting and is expected to undergo his Arsenal medical on Saturday. Advertisement The 27-year-old will take the No 14 shirt at Arsenal, the number made iconic by the club's record goal-corer Thierry Henry. The Athletic reported on July 22 that the club's had agreed a deal in principle but issues remained over the nature of the potential add-ons. Those concerns have now been ironed out. Gyokeres was focused only on joining Arsenal and, despite late interest from elsewhere, he did not consider joining another club. The Swede's agent also waived his commission to help the switch, while he is set to sign a five-year contract. Gyokeres has been one of Europe's most in-demand strikers this summer after scoring 54 goals in 52 matches for Sporting last season, and was identified as Arsenal's preferred centre-forward target. Arsenal were without a recognised No. 9 for much of 2024-25 following injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, as they finished second in the Premier League for a third consecutive campaign, ten points behind champions Liverpool with 17 fewer goals scored. After leaving Brighton & Hove Albion for around £1m to Coventry City in 2021, Gyokeres emerged a key figure for the Championship side before his £17m move to Sporting in 2023. He recorded 97 goals and 28 assists for the Portuguese club, helping them to consecutive league titles and the Taca de Portugal last season. Arsenal have been active in their first summer transfer window led by new sporting director Andrea Berta. Midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard have joined from Real Sociedad and Brentford respectively, while goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and winger Noni Madueke have arrived from Chelsea, and defender defender Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia. Gyokeres made his Sweden debut aged 20 and has played 26 games at international level, scoring 15 goals. Analysis by data writer Thom Harris There's quite an obvious appeal to Gyokeres when flicking through the numbers; his 68 league goals since joining Sporting two summers ago is well over double that of any other player in Portugal throughout that time, a brutal finisher, able to generate freakish power on either side. Advertisement But there's more to the Swede than just lasered shots and penalty-box poaching — Gyokeres is a prodigious runner, direct, explosive, and with the physical capacity to repeat those movements at high intensity. As we can see from his SkillCorner run profile below — comparing his off-ball work to strikers across Europe's top seven leagues — he's often targeting the space in-behind, or pulling wide to run the channels, happy to take a defender out wide before powering inside and getting his shot away. The Premier League, of course, is a different proposition, and while Gyokeres clearly has the physical capabilities to battle it out with the strongest of centre-backs, he may not be afforded quite as much space to attack for a side such as Arsenal, often pass-heavy and patient in their build-up. He also isn't prolific in the air, without a single headed goal in league football last season. But the Swede is a handful, a guaranteed goalscorer, a relentless runner, and a ruthless No. 9 who can turn half-chances into goals. If Premier League teams thought they had figured out Arteta's Arsenal, this signing would add a new dimension. (Top image:)
Metro
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Arsenal hero makes confident goals prediction for 'machine' Viktor Gyokeres
Former Arsenal star Anders Limpar is very confident that Viktor Gyokeres is going to be a big hit with the Gunners. The lengthy pursuit of the Swede is nearly at an end, with a deal to bring him to north London from Sporting on the verge of completion. While the transfer saga has taken some twists and turns, reports emerged on Tuesday suggesting that a deal was imminent, much to the delight of one of his soon-to-be new teammates. Arsenal will fork out €63.5million (£54.8m), plus €10m (£8.6m) in add-ons for the 27-year-old, hoping that the former Coventry star will help them make the final jump to claiming the Premier League title. Limpar reckons he might just do that, rating his fellow Swede extremely highly, both on and off the field. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. The 59-year-old, who played for Arsenal from 1990-94 and won the First Division title in '91, reckons Gyokeres is going to grab 25 goals in his first season, which Gunners fans would surely be happy with. 'I know that pretty much all the Arsenal players are top professionals,' Limpar told fotbolldirekt. 'I've been to the training ground, spoken to Arteta. He's Mr. 100 percent professional. 'And that's what you get from Viktor. He's such a prospect when it comes to looking after himself, no scandals, he is a hell of a player. 'He's a No. 9, and can sniff a goal chance. He's going to be the perfect icing on the cake at Arsenal. 'And I don't have to look down on [Kai] Havertz, or [Gabriel] Jesus, but bringing in Viktor at this moment, at his best age and form. 'He's a goalscoring machine and with all the supply from the wings and from Odegaard, he's going to score 25 goals.' 2023/24Apps: 50Goals: 43 Titles: Primeira Liga, Primeira Liga top scorer 2024/25Apps: 52Goals: 54 Titles: Primeira Liga, Taca de Portugal, Primeira Liga top scorer Gyokeres enjoyed a wildly successful time in Portugal, scoring 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting over two seasons. This came after impressing for Coventry in the Championship, where he scored 21 goals in 46 league games in his final season with the club. He also spent time with Brighton and Swansea, but has not made a Premier League appearance in his career yet. Limpar is well placed to comment on Gyokeres as he worked with him early in his career at Swedish club Brommapojkarna. Speaking last year, the former Gunners star said: 'I know Gyokeres very well personally. I was a bit of a mentor for him when he played for Brommapojkarna. More Trending 'So, I've talked a lot about professional life with him. He's a fantastically hardworking forward who scores a lot of goals. 'If we at Arsenal buy Gyokeres, then he will definitely call me. But to see Gyokeres at Arsenal – that would be crazy. 'His work rate, he runs like a madman. When it doesn't work out Viktor, he works his way into the game with uncomfortable runs. 'When other top forwards aren't doing well, they don't work so hard for the team, they save their energy. Viktor never saves his energy. When things are a bit slow, he works his way into a game with runs – that's why it has gone so well.' MORE: Marc Cucurella weighs in on 'missed opportunity' of Noni Madueke's Arsenal move MORE: Arsenal vs AC Milan LIVE: Pre-season friendly latest score and goal updates MORE: Martin Zubimendi reflects on Liverpool snub and decision to join Arsenal
