After much back and forth, Arsenal have finally made it official: the prolific striker from last season is now part of their squad.
Though uncertainty lingered, the main delay was waiting for the right moment. Now, after all the rumors and discussions, Viktor Gyokeres is officially an Arsenal player. Coach Mikel Arteta is thrilled to have secured his preferred striker.
Discussions with Gyokeres had been public for several days, and Arteta spoke about him on multiple occasions. The official announcement came on Saturday: the 27-year-old Swedish striker has signed a five-year contract with the North London club.
Financial details haven’t been fully disclosed. However, British media report Arsenal paid around £53 million to Portugal’s Sporting CP, with additional add-ons close to £8 million. ESPN sources suggest the total fee, including bonuses, could be around £63 million plus a further £10 million in add-ons.
ESPN had earlier reported that delays in finalizing the deal were due to negotiations over performance-related bonuses between Arsenal and Gyokeres.
This transfer follows four other signings made by Arsenal during the current window. Still, Arteta was eager to find a quality striker, and Gyokeres was his top choice.
Arsenal struggled heavily towards the end of last season due to a shortage of goals. Injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz in January and February forced them to rely on midfielder Mikel Merino as a makeshift forward at times.
Gyokeres was the top scorer last season, playing a key role in Sporting’s Portuguese league and cup victories. Across all competitions, he scored 54 goals in 52 matches, the highest tally among Europe’s major leagues. Notably, he impressed with a Champions League hat-trick against Manchester City.
In the Portuguese league alone, he scored 39 goals last season and has tallied 66 goals in 68 league matches for Sporting overall.
Over two seasons at Sporting, Gyokeres played 102 matches, scoring 97 goals and assisting 28.
Arteta’s enthusiasm for signing him shines through his words:
“We are delighted to welcome Viktor Gyokeres to the club. His consistent performances and ability to deliver goals speak volumes.”
“Viktor’s qualities are endless. He is fast and a powerful presence in front of goal. His goal-scoring record at both club and international level is incredible. His intelligent movement inside the box constantly threatens defenders.”
Arteta had said just days ago that he wanted Gyokeres as part of the squad for Arsenal’s Asia pre-season tour. Now that the contract is signed, he can’t wait to start working with him.
“We are excited about what Viktor brings to our squad and look forward to working with him. We welcome Viktor and his family to Arsenal.”
Gyokeres also has prior ties to English football. The 6-foot-2 forward first played outside Sweden for Brighton & Hove Albion. During his time there, he had loan spells with Swansea City and Coventry City. He signed permanently with Coventry in 2021 before moving to Sporting in 2023.
A new chapter begins for him now at Arsenal, where he will wear the number 14 jersey.
