Manchester United are running out of time to make a move for Viktor Gyokeres with Arsenal reportedly set to table an official offer for the 27-year-old striker imminently.
Portuguese outlet A Bola reveals the Gunners are preparing to submit a “concrete proposal” to Sporting CP for Gyokeres in the “next few hours.”
Arsenal hold a long-standing interest in Gyokeres but were thought to be prioritising a move for RB Leipzig frontman Benjamin Sesko as their first-choice option to buttress Mikel Arteta’s forward line.
Negotiations have proved difficult for Sesko, however, with Arsenal growing increasingly frustrated by Leipzig’s refusal to compromise on their valuation of the 22-year-old Slovenian.
As such, the London club now appear ready to divert their focus towards Gyokeres, who is actively pushing to leave Sporting this summer after a public dispute with club president Frederico Varanda.
Reports had suggested Gyokeres reached a gentleman’s agreement with Sporting executives to sanction his departure if an offer worth around €70 million arrived, despite the Sweden international’s contract containing a €100 million release clause.
But Varanda disputes this arrangement, stating no specific fee was agreed and rejecting the idea the Lions would accept a bid worth €70 million, as relayed by The Peoples Person here.
This has infuriated Gyokeres. The striker informed Sporting he would not play for the Portuguese champions again while removing any reference to the club from his social media account in response.
United consider Gyokeres a “dream” target with Ruben Amorim actively pushing for a reunion with his former pupil, having brought the Swede to Lisbon in 2023.
But the Red Devils have a limited budget this summer after agreeing a £62.5 million deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers’ forward Matheus Cunha and pursuing a deal for Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo at a similar price.
This means United will likely need to sell in order to finance their head coach’s demand. And the options to quickly generate cash at Old Trafford are limited with Alejandro Garnacho the only viable candidate to raise these funds.
Arsenal, by comparison, are ready to sanction a deal now and held a meeting today with Gyokeres’ representatives to discuss a move. The 27-year-old is believed to be keen on a switch to the North London with a guarantee of Champions League football next season at the Emirates.
A Bola contend Arsenal are “preparing to formalise a proposal” for Gyokeres this evening but reiterates United are “keeping an eye” on developments at the José Alvalade Stadium.
INEOS will need to act quickly and decisively to ensure Amorim’s “dream” option to lead the line at Old Trafford does not end up playing against the Red Devils in a different red shirt next season.
Featured image Carlos Rodrigues via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
