Morning all.
The hunt for a striker goes on for Arsenal. Viktor Gyokeres seemed to be the favourite, according to the media anyway but who knows what the truth is? I’d like to think Andrea Berta does and that very soon, a deal is struck. The worst case scenario would be going into yet another season without a recognised striker in the squad.
Having failed to return for pre-season training yesterday, Gyokeres is in the naughty corner. Sporting president Frederico Varandas is reported to have said:
We’re calm. Everything can be solved with the closure of the market, a hefty fine and an apology to the group. If they (other clubs) don’t want to pay Viktor’s fair market value, we’ll be very comfortable with that for the next three years. If the geniuses who are devising this strategy think that this puts pressure on me to make it easier for him to leave, not only are they completely wrong, but they are also making it more complicated for the player to leave. No one is above the interests of the club. Whoever they are.
Only the player and Sporting know what promises were made over a transfer out of the club but this situation isn’t good for the player or his current club. Keeping an unhappy player would do Sporting no favours whatsoever. Three more years with a player the manager knows doesn’t want to be at the club? Well, good luck with that eh, Arsenal know all about how that works out, many other clubs do too. As the old saying goes, one bad apple….
The Athletic report that Gyokeres believes Sporting president Varandas has reneged on an pact to let him go for €60million plus €10m, which Arsenal have already surpassed but still no agreement is in place on a fee. Talks however, are at an advanced stage.
How do Arsenal view his behaviour though I wonder, fans too. Do you/we think signing a player who is prepared to strike in order to get what he wants would be a good thing, or does no one care really as long as we end up signing him? Perhaps Arsenal should insert a get out clause fee into his contract if he does end up in the red side of north London.
Hopefully, Berta and co have a backup plan and I don’t mean converting Noni Maduke into a striker…
Former Arsenal attacker Perry Groves has been speaking on talkSPORT:
My sources tell me, and I’m not making this up, Gyokeres was a Gooner as a little kid. He’s always supported Arsenal, and it’s been well documented that he wants to come to us. That’s the most frustrating one because there will be a massive sigh of relief from our part of north London, we get a centre forward in, then that squad is looking unbelievably strong.
Regardless of whether Groves’ sources are correct, if Arsenal get a top striker deal over the line and renew Saka, Saliba and Nwaneri’s contracts, this transfer window will have been a good one. Add in Eze and Mosquera and it will have been even better.
There’s an excellent article again in The Athletic this morning about the Club World Cup, the final of which takes place later today. It’s worth reading.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said of the tournament:
We can say definitely that this FIFA Club World Cup has been a huge, huge, huge success. After the final tomorrow, we will have (had) two or three billion viewers all over the world, watching the top, top, top-quality football featuring the best players in the best teams in the world.
Financially it might have been a success but as far as player welfare goes, I think it’s been cruel and unnecessary. I’ve watched about 50 minutes of the play and that was purely down to wanting to see PSG but as for the rest, no thank you. As for the best players and best teams, well I think that’s open for debate. As said before, I’m just glad Arsenal haven’t been involved in it.
England’s women kick off their final Euros group match tonight and they need a win against Wales. On paper, England should win comfortably but Wales have the dragon in them along with pride. So no, there will be no Club World Cup viewing for me tonight although I do hope PSG win comfortably.
Catch up in the comments…
Perhaps it’s not a good idea to continue with this situation re Gyokeres. I can understand Gyökeres BUT like you said, we have had Prima Donnas at Arsenal before and look what that did to the team! Time to move on I think and go for Vladhovic – free agent soon which will appeal to Arsenal as no cashing out big bucks 🤣
Wish they would get on with getting Eze over the line. Why is Arsenal always sooooooo slow when it comes to buying/selling?!
Good morning Rico and all
Be careful what you’re glad for Rico. Arsenal might soon end up play in the FCWC if they win the CL. A good enjoyable post Lady
Get as much rest as possible because I feel that in the coming two weeks we will be signing in more players so that means more posts Rico. Gyokeres, Madueke and Eze for the attack, plus Mosquera for the defence. If we have the above three plus Saka, Martinelli, Nwaneri and Havertz our attack is looking very strong. Fingers crossed we get good money for Trossard, Vieira, Lokonga and Zinchenko. Plus Jesus in January.
Where are the Saudi clubs when you need them?
The situation with Gyokeres is different to other players who throw their toys out of the pram. I feel that the only mistake Gyokeres did was not inserting a clause which states what the president reneged on…..that he can go for a fee plus 10m in add ons. So its a word of the president against his.
Morning Laura, Devil.
Surely we can say no to the Club World Cup should a miracle occur. Although in this day and age and with overseas investors, I’m sure the owners would welcome it with open arms..
REMINDER ……. On this day in 2014: Arsenal trio Mesut Özil, Per Mertesacker & Lukas Podolski helped Germany beat Argentina 1-0 after extra-time to win the World Cup in Brazil.
Our new young professional……. https://www.arsenal.com/news/copley-highest-highs
I thought the same about a get out clause but wasn’t Gyokeres already a year into his contract? I don’t see him as being a problem either, he’s just standing his ground. Who gives first will be interesting to see.
Another bright talent to watch out for then. Similar age to Nwaneri..
If Arsenal would stop playing silly buggers over the price, this would be over. If it was good enough to make a statement to buy Rice, it’s good enough for Gyokeres. Stop fannying about! In relative terms £5m is nothing. If you want the player, an elite striker, you have to pay for them.
I kind of agree David, especially as we’ve just stumped up £50m (allegedly) for Noni Maduke.
A top striker was always going to cost big money imo.
I am not sure that Saudi is the preffered destination for players that feel that they still have something to prove . If we can believe the current stories Trossard has turned them down to go to Erdogan’s Turkey , so Saudi must be viewed as worse than that as I am sure there was more money in their bid.
As seems to be the strange interpretation of the tapping up rules he has agreed terms and now the clubs have to agree a fee. I always thought it was the other way round.
The Athletic had an article a few weeks ago about how transfers work these days and apparently, agreeing an actual fee is the last phase. Clubs talk to player agents first to talk interest and personal terms and if they agree, then they make an offer.
Like you though, I always assumed it was the other way around.
Saudi football is about money imo, not football. Look at Villa’s Duran, didn’t take him long to quit.
https://highbury-house.com/transfers-in-reverse-order/
The Athletic have an article this morning which explains how the transfer process usually plays out which isn’t as I thought it would. (The experienced agent and Sporting Director supplying the information remain anonymous)
Virtually no one is bidding for a player anymore without already knowing that they’re going to come to their football club or have a strong interest in signing for that club.
Despite the rules over transfers saying that a buying club is not permitted to make contact directly with a player or his representatives before speaking with his club, it happens almost all of the time. Clubs don’t complain though because they are all doing the same. By the time an offer for a player is made, the player being signed has already agreed to join the club wanting to sign him.
In theory, most clubs tap up other clubs players. That might be why certain clubs who have plenty of money to spend get deals over the line a lot quicker than Arsenal seem to. I suspect that’s the reason the reports about Martin Zubimendi have been flying around for so long too because the player, or rather his representatives, have already told Arsenal he wants the move.
Veteran Cazorla signs new Oviedo deal
Former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla has signed a new one-year contract with Real Oviedo, which will see him continue to play in his 40s.
Cazorla, who turns 41 in December, scored five goals and produced five assists in 35 games last season as Oviedo won promotion to LaLiga for the first time in 24 years.
He scored the winning goal in the LaLiga 2 play-off semi-finals against Almeria before scoring a penalty in the second leg of the final as they beat CD Mirandes in extra time.
The midfielder spent six years at Arsenal and made 180 appearances before leaving in 2018. He joined Oviedo, his boyhood club, in 2023.
Good on him .
Not even for a billion dollars I would go to play football in Saudi. Here the heat is killing me. Imagine the temperatures there?
Bayern Munich are one of the teams interested in signing Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard this summer.
The Belgian is one of the candidates if their move for Luis Diaz falls through.
Santi is amazing…
https://www.nowarsenal.com/transfer-news/arsenal-book-medical-for-tuesday-with-fourth-summer-deal-nearly-official/
so many clickbait articles. don’t know which one to believe. so many contradictory stories.
Imagine getting Eze and Nono and Gyokeres as I pointed above. With Nwaneri and Saka manning the wings, Martinelli could rotate with them or play up front as Gyokeres’ replacement.
https://metro.co.uk/2025/07/11/arsenal-agree-to-sell-27m-signing-after-noni-madueke-transfer-23636220/
I thought the same as in the post, if Eze and Gyokeres arrive, Noni signing will be forgiven I’m sure. 😜
Afternoon Rico and all.
David I said a simular thing the other day, if we realy want Gyokeres and he wants to come then just give them the 5 million and get the deal done or come straight out and say we are not interested.
Afternoon Geoff, for all we know, Arsenal might still be in talks with Sporting. Their president might just be using the media to sound good. Who knows…
Arsenal relaxed about Gyokeres deal amid Sporting dispute
Latest from Sky Sports News’ Dharmesh Sheth:
Arsenal are understood to be relaxed about their pursuit of Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres.
The feeling is that the dispute between Sporting and Gyokeres is nothing to do with them.
Arsenal have been in talks to sign the 27-year-old but have so far failed to reach an agreement with the Portuguese side.
Sporting are believed to want an initial fee of £60.4m, plus £8.6m in add-ons.
Arsenal will remain disciplined in their approach to the deal and have a price in mind.
Gyokeres wants to join and personal terms are not expected to be an issue.
There’s a lot of similarities to Varandas, and John Henry both going back on verbal agreements. Maybe Arsenal having been bitten once before are playing it so that they don’t get caught again .
here we go again…..season 25/26 on the way……
Arsenal’s first team will play a behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly against Watford at the Sobha Realty Training Centre on Saturday, July 19, kicking off at 12 noon.
The match will take place just a few hours before the squad departs for Singapore to begin their 2025 Asia Tour.
Trossard has agreed a a three year deal with Fernebache, Arsenal want £20 million for him.
Maybe JM could help , there’s a strong rumour going round that Varandas is under pressure at Sporting and that he is using the situation to win support from the fans.
Gyokeres to Arsenal edges closer’
Arsenal are in the process of completing a deal to sign Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres, according to The Athletic.
The Gunners have reportedly made advances in negotiations this weekend in a bid to complete the transfer.
A five-year deal is said to have been lined up for the Sweden international.
Sky Sports News reported that Arsenal were relaxed about their pursuit of the player.
Sporting’s demands for Gyokeres are believed to be an initial fee of £60.4m, plus £8.6m in add-ons.
Gyokeres wants to join Arsenal and personal terms are not expected to be a problem.
That wouldn’t surprise me about Varandas.
Gyokeres wasn’t my first choice, I would have preferred Sesko, but I will be relieved when he signs on the dotted line and we can look forward to a time when we can field a true number nine who is not Gabriel Jesus or Mikel Merino.
Varandos, is that Portuguese for balconies? 😉
Ditto, Sesko out of the two but I’m not going to complain.. 😜
Ha ha, very good.
Never a penalty for England, awful decision imo.