Arsenal transfers: Viktor Gyokeres’ back-up plan revealed if £68m Premier League move falls through

Viktor Gyokeres is confident a transfer to Arsenal will take place but, should it fall through, he’s making plans for how he can leave Sporting Lisbon this summer

Viktor Gyokeres will look to secure a loan deal late in the transfer window if his move to Arsenal is not completed this week. The Swede has made his desire to depart clear, with the Emirates Stadium his desired destination.

Manchester United have been credited with an interest previously, but Arsenal are in pole position to land his signature. Sporting director Andrea Berta is in Portugal looking to seal a deal to see Gyokeres move to the Premier League.

Gyokeres is quietly confident that a move to the Emirates will take place following negotiations but is making plans in case a deal can’t be reached between the two clubs. Should it not become a reality, he’ll look to fix up a loan move to a fellow European club.

That is the same move that Victor Osimhen opted for last summer when there was no resolution to his future. It became clear that he was surplus to requirements at Napoli and the Nigerian headed to Turkey to play with Galatasaray for the season, where he was prolific.

Reports in The Sun claim that Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce are among those keeping tabs on the Swede in case Gyokeres needs a loan move this summer. Juventus have also been monitoring the situation.

READ MORE: Viktor Gyokeres sends message to Ruben Amorim as Arsenal transfer moves closerREAD MORE: Arsenal move for summer target has ‘completely stalled’ after bid rejected

Arsenal want to add a No.9 this summer and have turned their attention from Red Bull Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko to Gyokeres, after scoring an staggering 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting since August 2023.

Arsenal remain locked in talks with his club, who want their asking price of £60m up front with £8m in add-ons to follow that. Personal terms are already in place on a five-year-deal and the add-ons in the deal relate to goal and trophy bonuses.

Gyokeres has, it’s claimed, told the Portuguese club that he will never play for them again in an attempt to push the deal through. He will also boycott pre-season training after clashing with the team’s hierarchy. Sporting players returned on Monday, but Gyokeres has been given extra days off to fix up a move away.

This anger stems from a belief that the Portuguese champions have gone against a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ to allow him to leave this summer for around £60m, despite his current contract running until 2028, but club bosses claim that was never the case and they want to retain their top talent.

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