Arsenal are on the verge of securing one of their most high-profile signings of the summer transfer window, as Viktor Gyokeres prepares to complete his move from Sporting Lisbon. The Swedish striker has received permission to travel to London, where he will undergo a medical and sign his contract, after all terms between the two clubs were finally agreed.
The transfer saga has been a lengthy and challenging one. Sporting Lisbon stood firm on their valuation of Gyokeres, initially demanding the full amount of his €100 million (£87 million) release clause. Negotiations dragged on primarily due to disputes over the structure of add-ons, with Arsenal reportedly pushing for difficult-to-achieve clauses such as a Ballon d’Or bonus, while Sporting preferred more performance-based incentives.
Eventually, both sides reached a compromise. Arsenal will pay a guaranteed €63.5 million for the striker, with an additional €10 million in potential bonuses. These include €1.25 million for every 20 appearances in which Gyokeres plays at least 45 minutes (up to a total of €5 million), and €500,000 for every 20 goal contributions goals and assists combined up to €1 million.
Sporting Lisbon will also receive €1 million each time Arsenal qualifies for the Champions League group stage, capped at €4 million. In a notable move to finalise the deal, Gyokeres’ agents have agreed to waive €6.5 million in commission fees on the fixed amount.
The Portuguese side is already lining up a replacement, with Colombian striker Luis Suárez set to join from Almería for a fee of €20 million, with possible additional bonuses.
Gyokeres arrives at Arsenal after a stunning season in Portugal, where he scored 54 goals in 52 appearances and helped Sporting secure consecutive Primeira Liga titles. Overall, he has 97 goals in 102 games for the club, making him one of the most prolific forwards in Europe.
Before his time in Portugal, Gyokeres made a name for himself in the English Championship with Coventry City, scoring 43 goals in 116 appearances and earning a place in the 2022–23 Championship Team of the Year.
With Arsenal in need of a reliable goal scorer after falling behind Liverpool in both goals scored and points last season, Gyokeres could be the clinical finisher Mikel Arteta’s side needs to take the next step.
