Arsenal are reportedly on the brink of securing a £63.6m swoop for Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokores. The north London club have made significant strides in negotiations and are eager to wrap up the deal shortly.
Gyokores, aged 27, had been embroiled in a bitter stand-off with Sporting president Frederico Varandas, refusing to join pre-season training on Saturday.
However, Mirror Football reported that Sporting had paused discussions for a "cooling off" period, with talks expected to resume later. Further negotiations have now taken place, with Arsenal's sporting director Andrea Berta working tirelessly to finalise the transfer for their prospective new No.9.
It's anticipated that there will be a compromise regarding add-ons and agent fees to ensure the transfer proceeds smoothly.
Sporting initially demanded over £70m, but Arsenal are determined to conclude the transaction, with Gyokores poised to pen a five-year deal.
The Gunners are optimistic about clinching the deal for the Swedish international, who boasts an impressive tally of 97 goals in 102 outings for Sporting, following an agreement on Sunday night for an initial £55m payment plus another £8.6m in add-ons.
With a strong desire to reinforce their strike force before heading out on their Asian tour, Arsenal, who resumed pre-season training last week, are pushing hard to land a new forward.
Arsenal are convinced that Gyokores has the ability to make a splash in the Premier League and are pulling out all the stops to complete the deal ahead of their pre-season travels.
Arsenal had shown interest in RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, but the asking price, wage demands and Berta's advocacy for Gyokores have led them to pursue this deal, which is now nearing completion.
The Gunners are also set to finalise a deal for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke within the next 48 hours. The England international has already returned to London from the Club World Cup and is expected to undergo a medical before signing a five-year contract in a £52m deal.
If Arsenal secure both Madueke and Gyokores, their summer spending will approach the £200m mark. This follows the £51m spent on Martin Zubimendi, £15m on Christian Norgaard and £5m on Kepa Arrizabalaga.
They remain interested in Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze, but may need to offload some players before continuing their spending spree.
