Arsenal to ‘Offer’ Viktor Gyokeres ‘Generous’ Salary

Arsenal are preparing an offer for Sporting CP ace Viktor Gyökeres and are willing to provide a sizeable financial package to convince the striker to join, according to a report from Portugal.

There have long been discussions over Arsenal's need for a clinical centre forward capable of firing them to silverware next season and beyond, with profligacy at key moments having proved costly in their hunt for trophies this term.

Gyökeres has been regularly linked with the Gunners and has produced another astonishing goalscoring campaign for Sporting. He's managed 52 goals and 12 assists in all competitions for the Lisbon giants, somehow bettering his total of 57 goal contributions last season.

The 26-year-old, who has experience in English football with Brighton & Hove Albion, Swansea City and Coventry City, is expected to leave Portugal this summer and A Bola report that Arsenal are “the best placed club” to sign him.

Mikel Arteta needs a new striker this summer. | IMAGO/Sportsphoto

They claim Arsenal would have to pay less than his £84.2m ($112.3m) release clause, with a figure of approximately £58.9m ($78.5m) likely to be acceptable. The Gunners will also offer Gyökeres a “generous” salary which could amount to £7m ($9.3m) per year.

While a formal proposal is yet to be sent by the north London club as Sporting focus all their attention on winning the league and cup double over the next 10 days, the Portuguese behemoths have already accepted the departure of Gyökeres is inevitable.

Arsenal are not the only Premier League side linked with the towering forward. Reports of a reunion with former Sporting manager and current Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim have been frequent, while Chelsea and Liverpool have been tentatively rumoured as suitors.

Of course, Gyökeres is not the only number nine option for Arsenal, either. The Gunners have been touted with significant interest in another Swedish phenom, Alexander Isak, but a transfer for the Newcastle United attacker appears significantly more complicated and expensive.