Arsenal Capitalizing on Gyokeres after Man Utd Snub

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Arsenal is capitalising on Manchester United’s distraught contract negotiations to secure a new signing, in the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, as United has snubbed the potential move. 

Fans with Man United tickets were excited to see that Gyokeres will finally join the Red Devils in the summer transfer window. Fans were excited to see manager Ruben Amorim reunite with his Sporting Lisbon superstar, but it appears that Arsenal has hijacked the transfer. 

Arsenal Makes Advances 

Arsenal are finally on the verge of completing a deal to sign Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres, according to reports.

The Gunners have been in talks with Sporting throughout the summer, and a deal worth €63.5 63.5million (£54.8m), plus €10m (£8.6m) in add-ons, had been agreed earlier this month.

However, Sporting have been standing firm over the make-up of the add-on payments, and the deal appeared to be on the brink of collapse last week.

But The Athletic now reports that negotiations between Arsenal and Sporting to resolve the add-on payment dispute are at an ‘extremely advanced stage’ and a final agreement is now ‘imminent’.

The report states that Gyokeres’ contract with Arsenal, which is set to run until 2030, has already been prepared.

United Saga 

Manchester United had been offered the chance to sign Gyokeres again after talks between Arsenal and Sporting stalled; however, the 27-year-old made it clear that Mikel Arteta’s side was the only destination he wanted.

Gyokeres, meanwhile, has refused to report back to pre-season training with Sporting and has effectively gone on strike to force through his move to Arsenal.

The Sweden international is currently in Stockholm, while a removal van was seen outside his home in Lisbon last Thursday.

In an interview with France Football this month, Gyokeres said of his future: ‘It’s football, you never know. I’m not thinking about it, we’ll see what happens.

‘If something is going to happen, it will happen. The most important thing for me is to play for a club that wants me.’

Gyokeres has been one of the most prolific strikers in Europe since he joined Sporting in a £20m deal from Coventry City in 2023, scoring 97 goals in 102 appearances.

The striker has a €100m (£86.8m) release clause in his deal with Sporting, but the Portuguese champions have been willing to negotiate a lower transfer fee.

Gyokeres has been on the radar of all the top Premier League clubs for a long time and has been a key target for most of them. 

For United, Gyokeres was seen as a solution to their long-standing goal-scoring issue, which has brought nightmares for fans with Man United tickets for a long time. 

Arsenal have had their fair share of struggles at the front, with no proper striker leading the team, which might have cost them two Premier League titles. 

So the move from Lisbon to United might not work out, but surely Gyokeres will be making it to the Premier League. 

Slow Transfer Window 

While all other clubs have been aggressive on the transfer market this summer to prepare their sides for a shot at the Premier League, criticism is being drawn at United for not chasing after key prospects. 

Fans with Man United tickets also point in the same direction as their manager, as they have several players listed for sale who have yet to receive any offers. 

United is not settling for less, either, and this continues to trouble Amorim, restricting his ability to make moves. 

Ruben Amorim says he is fully prepared to reintegrate Manchester United’s “bomb squad” if the outcasts cannot be offloaded this summer.

Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia have all been omitted from United’s pre-season tour of the United States amid potential moves away from Old Trafford.

United are under pressure to sell to help raise more funds to reinvest in the squad, having already splashed £140m on Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Diego León.

However, Amorim has claimed that the quartet will be given a route back into his squad if prospective suitors fail to meet his valuation of the players.

And the United manager believes that the fact there is a World Cup at the end of the season will ensure players cannot take their foot off the pedal.

Asked how important it is that Garnacho, Sancho, Antony and Malacia find new clubs and United have money to reinvest in more signings, Amorim said: “I think that is not the case because there are different reasons for the players.

“Some players have to find a new place to have more space in the team, and other players clearly show they want a new challenge and want new teams.

“We are just allowing these players to have time to think and to decide. If we reach a point where they have to join the team, they will join the team because they are our players.

“I’m ready to receive the players. They have more competition; if you want to play in the World Cup next year, you need to play.

“So I’m really happy with that because I have more options. If they have to fight each other to play, for me, it’s perfect.”

Marcus Rashford has already joined Barcelona on a season-long loan, and some of the other bomb squad’s suitors are thought to be biding their time amid the belief that United will have little choice but to sell.

But Amorim insists the club have a set price for each player and that rivals may be in for a “surprise” if they think they can be acquired on the cheap.

“I know for a fact these people, Jason [Wilcox, the director of football], [chief executive] Omar [Berrada] and the club, have a number for these players.

“If they don’t reach that, they will be Manchester United players, no doubt about that. I understand the clubs [interested] are waiting for the last minute, but they can have a surprise.”

Nonetheless, United are expected to accept less than the £60m Garnacho was valued at earlier in the year. Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Spurs are interested in the Argentine winger, who wants to stay in the Premier League.

Sancho, who is out of contract next summer, could leave on loan. Antony has attracted interest from Real Betis, where he spent last season on loan, among others, but clubs have so far baulked at the €45m (£39m) fee United set at the start of the summer.

Man United tickets for the new season are now available for purchase.

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