Arsenal receive crucial Viktor Gyokeres transfer boost as Sporting striker 'rejects' £6m offer

Arsenal have reportedly received another significant boost in their pursuit of Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres, who has rejected another potential suitor in the shape of Juventus.

The Sweden international was already believed to have rebuffed advances from Manchester United, leaving Arsenal and Juve in an apparent two-horse race for his signature.

Gyokeres's Sporting exit has been seen as inevitable for some time now, and his relationship with the Portuguese giants has allegedly become fractured due to their failure to honour a gentleman's agreement.

The 27-year-old has supposedly rejected the chance to hold clear-the-air talks with Sporting and will be on the move for the right price, which Juventus may have been able to offer.

However, according to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, Gyokeres has turned his nose up to a move to Turin, as he is prioritising a move to Arsenal ahead of the new campaign.

Gyokeres 'rejects' £6m Juventus salary in favour of Arsenal

Juventus - who are facing uncertainty over the futures of both Randal Kolo Muani and Dusan Vlahovic - were apparently prepared to pay Sporting a total package worth £59.8m, as well as a £6m yearly salary to Gyokeres.

Furthermore, the Scandinavian's agents could have supposedly pocketed around £10.3m for brokering the deal, but Gyokeres has no interest in joining the Serie A champions at this point in his career.

With Man United and Juventus out of the race, Arsenal seemingly have a clear run at the ex-Coventry City man, who scored a sensational 54 goals in 52 games across all competitions in the 2024-25 season.

Gyokeres also set up 13 goals in the most recent campaign, giving him an astonishing total of 97 strikes and 28 assists from 102 matches for the Green-Whites.

Gyokeres's Sporting contract does contain a release clause worth £85.4m, but club president Frederico Varandas has confirmed that he will not demand the full value of that option given his age.

Should Arsenal capitalise on Gyokeres's Juventus rejection?

With Juventus ostensibly out of the running, the last roadblock has been removed for Arsenal, who should have little trouble getting the green light from the player himself.

However, Sporting are still thought to be holding out for a fee close to £70m for a striker who is already in the prime of his career, and one that did not set the Championship alight in similar fashion to what he is doing in Portugal.

Arsenal's other top striker target - Benjamin Sesko - may arrive for a similar or slightly higher fee, but would also come with a higher resale value and potential for exceptional growth in the Premier League.

Furthermore, there are fears that Sporting could price Gyokeres out of a move elsewhere this summer, so Sesko may be the safer bet, but Arsenal cannot afford to spend much longer weighing up the two options; now is the time for decisive action.

Written by
Ben Knapton