Viktor Gyokeres follows £173.5m Arsenal transfer example to give final green light

Viktor Gyokeres has just done something that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will love amid his ongoing Sporting CP transfer saga. The Swede and RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko are the strikers being targeted with talks ongoing for both.

That has become new sporting director Andrea Berta's transfer process, with it allowing for flexibility before a final decision is made. Following his arrival at Emirates Stadium, Gyokeres seemingly became the favoured signing but it now looks to be Sesko.

Talks with Leipzig chief Marcel Schafer have been taking place over these last few weeks and, though they have advanced, reports of an agreement on personal terms appear to be wide of the mark.

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Gyokeres meanwhile has seen multiple drastic twists and turns take place regarding his future in Portugal. The first of those arrived earlier this month when Sporting president Frederico Varandas revealed there was no gentleman's agreement allowing him to leave for £60million (€70m).

The 27-year-old then fired his own response, before his representatives turned down the chance to go for peace talks with Sporting officials. That was a second rejection of an invitation in just 24 hours with Italian media stating he has turned down Juventus despite talk of a stunning £11million-per-year package offer.

Corriere dello Sport added that the Italian side have been informed that the striker wants to join the Gunners this summer. This comes after Manchester United also learnt that he only had eyes for north London.

This is the dream response for Arteta with the Spaniard wanting targets to consider Emirates Stadium as their only destination.

Manchester City tabled a bid for Declan Rice, before Arsenal reached a £105million agreement with West Ham to sign him. The midfielder later revealed how Arteta helped convince him that arriving in north London was the best option.

In that same summer, David Raya and Jurrien Timber turned down moves to Bayern Munich in order to link up with Arteta. Following the displays that he's put in, the latter looks to be quite the bargain with just £38.5million heading to Ajax for his services. Raya meanwhile, after an initial loan from Brentford, cost just £30million.

Gyokeres is quite clearly waiting for Arsenal, but that decision could ultimately cost him if they opt to formalise a pursuit for Sesko. The former Coventry City frontman turning down all other alternatives could see him forced into having an awkward conversation with his current club.

However, if Arteta and Berta go with Gyokeres, he has displayed the perfect traits to join Arsenal and help them win trophies having experienced that feeling twice during the 2025/26 season.