Arsenal have finally done it. After weeks of tense negotiations, late-night calls, and a tug-of-war over bonus clauses, Viktor Gyokeres is a Gunner. The €73.5m deal €63.5m up front, with €10m in add-ons brings one of Europe’s most explosive strikers to north London.
Gyokeres was a phenomenon at Sporting, smashing in 97 goals across 102 appearances and powering them to back-to-back league titles and a Portuguese Cup.
Now, after pushing hard for the move and skipping pre-season with Sporting, the 27-year-old gets his wish and Mikel Arteta finally lands the No. 9 he’s been craving.
The deal was far from simple. Arsenal and Sporting clashed over bonus structures with Sporting pushing for realistic targets like goals, assists and Champions League qualification, while Arsenal floated far tougher triggers (yes, one of them was winning the Ballon d’Or).
In the end, the Portuguese side got terms they could accept, thanks in part to agents waiving their 10% cut to help close the gap.
Gyokeres joins a summer rebuild that’s turning serious heads. Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, and Noni Madueke have already arrived for a combined £118.5m.
That midfield overhaul began when Arsenal secured Zubimendi in what felt like the first real sign they were cooking this window just like we saw when Zubimendi’s name first lit up the headlines.
Norgaard adds bite and balance in the middle, while Madueke brings electric pace and flair out wide another bold move from Edu and Arteta, quietly building depth across the pitch. That signing spree, including the Madueke swoop, was a clear marker of intent.
And they’re not done yet. Young centre-back Cristhian Mosquera has arrived from Valencia for €15m and already linked up with the squad in Singapore. With the 21-year-old fresh from the U21 Euros with Spain, he’s part of a youth-focused recruitment drive that started picking up steam when Norgaard came through the door.
This team isn’t just buying big names they’re buying players who fit. And with Gyokeres leading the line, Arsenal’s front four Saka, Martinelli, Odegaard, and the Swede looks genuinely frightening.
Strap in. The Gunners are going for it.
