'Preference to Arsenal': £62k per wk star maintains desire to join the Gunners after £55.5m offer - report
Arsenal are poised to sign a marquee centre-forward during the ongoing transfer window.
The Gunners underperformed in the Premier League last season, finishing 10 points behind champions Liverpool. They scored 22 fewer goals compared to the previous campaign.
The club need an elite striker ahead of next season. Record (page 13) claim that the Gunners have already had a bid of £47 million plus £8.5m in add-ons (£55.5m) rejected for Viktor Gyokeres.
Sporting CP are holding out for at least £68m to part ways with the Sweden international.
Gyokeres is currently on holiday in Mykonos but has been ‘ordered to report’ for pre-season on July 7 by Sporting.
The 27-year-old ‘maintains his desire’ to leave Lisbon and gives ‘preference to Arsenal’ for the next step in his career.
Arsenal likely to speed up striker pursuit
The Gunners are simultaneously working on two strikers in RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting’s Gyokeres.
Sesko is the priority target for the Gunners, but they are yet to make a formal proposal on the table for the Slovenian.
Arsenal are presently reluctant to pay a fee between £68m and £85m for Sesko, and they are hoping to lower the final price.
The Gunners could be making some progress behind the scenes, considering Sesko has just followed the club on Instagram.
Fabrizio Romano dropped the hint this week. Given he has also interviewed Sesko’s agent, a deal could be getting closer.
Gyokeres, who earns £62,000 per week at Sporting with bonuses, will cost a similar package as Sesko.
The Swede has given the green light for a transfer, but he is the backup choice as things stand.
His agent is trying to drum up Arsenal’s interest via the Portuguese media, but a move for Sesko makes better sense.
Sesko is five years younger than Gyokeres and has more time to adapt to the demands of the Premier League.
He has also played in a more superior league (Bundesliga) compared to Gyokeres (Primeira Liga).
As per The Athletic, the Primeira Liga have only five clubs at the Premier League level. Many are at the Championship standard, with relegated teams in the League One bracket.
Hence, Arsenal have some ‘reservations‘ about purchasing Gyokeres ahead of Sesko this summer.
The Gunners should make progress for a new striker pretty soon, considering manager Mikel Arteta wants the signing made before the club fly out for the pre-season tour of July 19.
Stats from Capology.com
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