Arsenal director eyes Gyokeres as statement signing | OneFootball

Andrea Berta is a big admirer of Viktor Gyokeres and is keen to make the Sporting Lisbon striker his first statement signing at Arsenal.

Berta’s appointment as Arsenal’s new sporting director was confirmed on Sunday, with the Italian arriving in North London after more than a decade with Atletico Madrid.

Top of the club’s transfer priorities is signing a striker this summer. Berta’s arrival could catapult Gyokeres to the top of the wish list, according to The Athletic.

Gyokeres has scored 85 goals and provided 26 assists in 92 appearances for Sporting Lisbon and was the catalyst for their Primeira Liga title success last season. He has a release clause of €100m (£83.6m) in his contract with the Portuguese champions. However, there is an understanding that Sporting are prepared to sell for less than that figure.

That would make Gyokeres a more attainable target than Alexander Isak, with Newcastle likely to demand a British transfer record fee to even consider discussions over the Sweden international.

Gyokeres offers an alternative and is one of several options under consideration. Arsenal also have a long-standing interest in RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, after a failed move to sign the 21-year-old last summer. Sesko will be allowed to leave Leipzig for around €70m (£58.5m) at the end of the campaign.

Gyokeres has never played in a top-five European league, but his goal record at Sporting and past experience of English football at Coventry City appeal. A late bloomer, the 26-year-old has surpassed 40 goals in each of the last two seasons for Sporting. He’s also netted 15 times in 26 appearances for Sweden, with 10 of those goals coming in his last seven caps.

Read – Andrea Berta’s best signings as Arsenal appoint new director

See more – Six top-class strikers set for big summer transfers

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