Viktor Gyökeres Joins Arsenal From Sporting CP In A Five-Year Deal
BY OSABUOHIEN VIVIAN ROSE
Arsenal has finally completed the signing of Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting CP striker , the club announced on Saturday.
It was reported that Gyökeres arrives in a deal worth €63 million ($74m) plus €10m ($11.7m) in add-ons.
The 27-year-old is on a five-year contract deal with the Premier League side, who have long been linked with a new striker. He will wear the No. 14 shirt in Arsenal.
Arsenal and Sporting had been negotiating for sometime. The delay was due to disagreements over the details of performance-related add-ons.
“We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Viktor Gyökeres to the club,” Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta said in a statement. “The consistency he has shown in his performances and availability have been outstanding, and his goal contributions speak for themselves.
“Viktor has so many qualities. He is a quick and powerful presence up front, with incredible goalscoring numbers at club and international levels. He brings a clinical edge with a high conversion rate of chances into goals, with his intelligent movement in the box making him a constant threat.
“We’re excited about what Viktor brings to our squad and are looking forward to start working with him. We welcome Viktor and his family to Arsenal.”
The Sweden international arrives with a glowing reputation, and was also the subject of interest from Manchester United and Saudi Pro League sides this summer.
Gyökeres has scored 68 league goals in just 66 appearances in Portugal — scoring 39 in last season alone — having joined from Championship side Coventry City in 2023. He also enjoyed spells in English football at Swansea City and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Sporting director Andrea Berta said: “We are so pleased with the excellent deal we have completed to bring Viktor Gyökeres to the club. Viktor is an exceptional talent and has consistently demonstrated he has the qualities and winning mentality required of a top-level centre-forward. His physicality, intelligence and work ethic make him a perfect fit for our vision.
“We are confident Viktor will have a major impact on the pitch and become an important figure in our dressing room.”
Kai Havertz, who was one of those absentees, was the only recognised senior striker brought on the preseason tour by Mikel Arteta.
The Arsenal boss is keen for Gyökeres to join the club’s preseason tour with Arsenal playing Newcastle in Singapore on Sunday and then flying to Hong Kong on Tuesday ahead of Thursday’s game against arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Arsenal finished second in the Premier League, in three consecutive seasons.
