If Arsenal want to sign Viktor Gyokeres, it won’t be cheap.
The Gunners have been linked with the Sporting CP striker since he surprised Portugal in his debut season by scoring 43 goals in 50 games.
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The Swede thrilled the country after his move from Coventry City, winning the league and the Golden Boot with relative ease.
And he is not just a one-hit wonder. At the start of the 2024/25 season, he scored eight goals in six games and it looks like he has already outgrown the Portuguese league.
Gyokeres now has the chance to show Europe how good he is in the Champions League, as Sporting opens their season with a home game against Lille.
Unsurprisingly, the 26-year-old, as Ruben Amorim’s star player, was asked at a press conference about his alleged 100 million euro earnings. [£84m] Exit clause and whether it is too high.
“Good question… I don’t know,” he replied. “I don’t work for the club, I’m not a businessman, I don’t know anything about it.”
“It’s a lot, but I don’t want to go anywhere. I’m happy at Sporting, it’s no problem for me to stay. My value is my value. Let’s see if something happens.”
This means Arsenal may have to shell out a lot of money to get the coveted number 9, who has also been linked with Chelsea.
Mikel Arteta’s side are still lacking a genuine centre-forward after being linked with Ivan Toney for much of the summer.
Instead, they have opted for another winger by loaning Raheem Sterling from Chelsea, while their other strikers, such as Gabirel Jesus, are not true number nines.
But that’s exactly what Gyokeres is: a traditional goalscorer who loves to shoot from anywhere.
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When asked if he would finally make his debut in the Champions League, he said: “All players want to play in the Champions League, they have this dream. The team and I are looking forward to tomorrow. We have prepared well for the game and are looking forward to it.”
“When I play, I always want to score a goal. I will try to do that in the Champions League too.”
Sporting will face PSV Eindhoven and Sturm Graz in Europe’s premier club competition before facing Manchester City and Arsenal.
These games against the two top clubs in the Premier League could well decide where Gyokeres will play in the future.
A few brilliant performances should reignite Arsenal’s interest and perhaps attract other top European clubs as well.
To conclude their Champions League efforts, they will face Club Brugge, RB Leipzig and Bologna.
And Gyokeres will be crucial throughout their continental experience.
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