Arsenal close on Viktor Gyökeres after signing Martín Zubimendi in £50m-plus deal | Arsenal

Arsenal are closing in on the signing of Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting after agreeing private phrases with the Sweden striker. Negotiations are persevering with over a price for the 27-year-old, with Arsenal hoping to strike a deal for lower than the £68m asking worth.

Gyökeres has made no secret of his need for a brand new problem, having scored 54 objectives for Sporting final season, and is known to have made clear he needs to affix Arsenal regardless of curiosity from elsewhere within the Premier League, together with Manchester United.

Arsenal had recognized Gyökeres as one among their two predominant targets so as to add firepower, with robust curiosity additionally in RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko. With Mikel Arteta eager to usher in reinforcements as quickly as doable, Arsenal’s sporting director, Andrea Berta, is known to have stepped up efforts to signal Gyökeres after the arrival of the midfielder Martín Zubimendi was confirmed on Sunday.

Gyökeres, who joined Sporting from Coventry in 2023, is believed to have agreed a five-year deal on the Emirates. It’s understood that his former membership Brighton can be due cash underneath a sell-on clause.

Zubimendi, who turned down Liverpool final summer season, has joined on a five-year deal. The Spain worldwide was closely linked with Actual Madrid in current weeks regardless of being understood in March to have a pre-agreement to affix Arsenal.

Arteta made the 26-year-old his major midfield goal as Arsenal try to bridge the hole after three successive runners-up finishes within the Premier League, and Zubimendi’s signing represents a significant increase after the departures of Jorginho and Thomas Partey on the finish of their contacts final week. Partey was charged with 5 counts of rape and one depend of sexual assault – allegations he denies – three days after leaving.

Arsenal are believed to have been looking for midfield replacements since final summer season, with Zubimendi rising as their most popular choice because of his spectacular shows for Actual Sociedad and Spain. Their makes an attempt to signal him final summer season alongside Mikel Merino – who left Actual Sociedad for about £32m – are understood to have been rejected as a result of the Spanish aspect didn’t need to lose each gamers in the identical switch window.

Arsenal had been in a position to safe a pre-agreement in March after persevering with talks. The price is believed to be barely greater than his launch clause of £51m after they fought off late curiosity from Madrid, whose new supervisor, Xabi Alonso, coached Zubimendi for Actual Sociedad’s B aspect.

“As soon as I made the choice to depart, I set my sights on Arsenal as a result of I feel their type of play is an efficient match for me,” Zubimendi instructed his new membership’s web site. “It’s a younger, extremely motivated and impressive staff. They’ve proven their potential just lately, and I imagine the perfect is but to return.”

Brentford’s Christian Nørgaard can be anticipated to finish his transfer to north London after the golf equipment agreed a deal price as much as £15m, and Arsenal are understood to have mentioned private phrases with Chelsea’s Noni Madueke and are weighing up whether or not to bid for the England worldwide.

Arteta mentioned of Zubimendi: “Martín is a participant who will convey an enormous quantity of high quality and soccer intelligence to our staff.”