Pressure mounted on Arsenal's pursuit of a marquee striker when their top target, Viktor Gyökeres remained committed to Sporting CP, a team to which he had been causing waves with fantastic form. Though he is close to Mikel Arteta's team, the big release clause of the Swedish forward and his apparent happiness at Sporting cooled off the transfer. This now presents a big test for Arsenal, who keenly want to strengthen their attacking ranks in a bid to keep their quest for glory both at home and on the continent.
Viktor Gyökeres' Exceptional Form at Sporting CP
The transfer of Viktor Gyökeres to Sporting CP from Coventry City in 2023 for £21 million (€24.9m/$27.7m) has immediately installed him as one of Europe's most deadly forwards. Since moving to Lisbon, the 26-year-old has managed an astonishing 51 goals in just 56 matches, alongside 18 assists. These impressive numbers have made Gyökeres a household name in the Portuguese top flight and alerted top clubs across the continent, including Arsenal.
His goal-scoring exploits, meantime, have been nothing short of sensational, and Sporting CP have wasted no time highlighting that his performances merit a big-money release clause-set reportedly at £84 million (€100m/$111m). They have emphatically stated they will not entertain letting their star player go for anything less than this much.
Gyökeres Speaks on His Future and Release Clause
With increasing speculation on his future, after a press conference in the run-up to their Champions League opener against Lille, Gyökeres was asked about his release clause and his move away from Sporting. The forward admitted the size of his release clause but insisted he is happy with the Portuguese outfit for the time being.
"Good question… I don't know, I don't work for the club or am a businessman, I'm not up to speed on that. It's a lot, but I don't want to go anywhere. I'm happy at Sporting, it's not a problem for me to stay. My value is my value. Let's see if something happens," he said, silencing any feelings of an imminent exit.
Given that his contract runs until 2028, there is no pressure on Sporting to sell their star forward, making it all on their court for future dealings. For now, it would seem he will be happy remaining with Sporting, where he has grown into a key man for manager Ruben Amorim.
Sporting CP Stand Firm on Gyökeres' Release Clause
Nonetheless, this fine form from Gyökeres has not gone unnoticed by the best clubs in Europe, and Sporting CP has promised to fight tooth and nail to keep him. Manager Ruben Amorim has been candid about the club's stand on his release clause, saying that anyone interested in his services must pay in full if they are to sign him-the £84 million price tag.
Gyökeres is a great player and I think he's worth €100 million," the 24-year-old told CNN in a recent interview. "That's the price he has, and we have to go ahead with that. Whoever wants him will have to pay €100 million.".
That seems to have put Arsenal off from making an official offer, even though Gyökeres is believed to be top of Mikel Arteta's striker list. TEAMtalk reported that the Swedish striker was indeed Arsenal's first choice, but no movement ever took place on the deal as the release clause is quite substantial.
While Gyökeres remains an attractive target for Arsenal, the club decided to look elsewhere in this summer transfer window. The Gunners strengthened other positions in their squad, as goalkeeper David Raya joined on a permanent deal from Brentford, midfielder Mikel Merino came in from Real Sociedad, and defender Riccardo Calafiori signed in from Bologna. Arsenal further sealed a loan deal for Raheem Sterling from Chelsea in order to back up the attacking options.
Although there were other top forwards linked with Arsenal, like Victor Osimhen of Napoli and Brentford's Ivan Toney, both since having moved elsewhere, eventually, the Gunners did not make massive investments in their forward line. That is because Arteta has stated his confidence in the attacking options already at his disposal, which include Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, and Leandro Trossard.
Last month Arteta, for one, spoke about his belief in the attacking depth of the squad. "We have some great strikers," he said. "Gabi is there, Kai has played there a lot of minutes, Leo has played there, and we believe we have all the necessities as well. We fully trust our players.". We definitely want to improve, and we are going to try, but we are going to try with the players that are already with us."
How Gyökeres Compares to Arsenal's Current Forwards
Gyökeres' goalscoring record in 2024 has put him among the most elite strikers in Europe, with 33 goals across all competitions this calendar year beating the likes of Erling Haaland from Manchester City, Harry Kane from Bayern Munich, and Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain. This incredible number shows his power of being at the back post consistently, which is a priceless asset for any team looking to strengthen their attacking options.
Compared to the current forwards that Arsenal now have in their roster, Gyökeres stands out for his prolific ability in scoring goals. Last season, Gyökeres scored 29 league goals for Sporting CP, a figure that very well dwarfs the 13 goals scored by Kai Havertz and the 4 goals scored by Gabriel Jesus in the Premier League. Although it is important to consider that the Portuguese top-flight is far less competitive than the Premier League, Gyökeres' numbers are there to at least suggest he could be worth a look for Arsenal.
In terms of advanced stats, he outperforms his Arsenal counterparts in most other key areas: 48.6% shots-on-target percentage and clinical nature in converting his Expected Goals better than Havertz and Jesus. However, Jesus does pip him in terms of successful take-ons at 46.7%, while Havertz boasts the best aerial duel success rate, 50.2%. Taking the differentials into account, his goal-scoring ability and overall contribution in the final third make the forward a tempting option for Arsenal.
Will Arsenal Make a Move for Gyökeres in the Future?
Arsenal are contented with their attacking department at the moment, so any move for Gyökeres anytime soon is considered an impossibility. However, if the striker continues his good form in the Liga Portugal and does well in the Champions League, too, Arsenal might be attracted enough to come for him in the January transfer window or next summer.
Much will depend on whether Sporting CP is willing to negotiate a lower fee or if Arsenal is prepared to meet the full £84 million release clause. For now, Gyökeres seems happy at Sporting, but the ever-evolving nature of the transfer market means a move could yet be on the cards.
The transfer of Arsenal for Viktor Gyökeres seems to have reached a full stop, but this doesn't mean the interest of the club in the Swedish striker will ever dissipate. Having been one of the best forwards on the European continent, he can naturally be included in the sights of any club wanting to strengthen their forward line. However, with Sporting CP unwilling to give in on the release clause and Gyökeres being happy in his situation, it seems he is content staying in Lisbon for the time being.
Meanwhile, Arsenal remain committed to building on the current squad with Mikel Arteta at the helm. The failure to sign Gyökeres this summer keeps alive the chances of his eventual signing by the Gunners should player and club decide upon revisiting the negotiations.
