Romano drops bombshell Gyokeres update as Arsenal ‘get closer’ with ‘total agreement’ reached

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Arsenal are now ‘getting closer’ to signing Viktor Gyokeres with a deal now ‘advancing’.

The Gunners signed Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea already this summer, while they have deals for Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi and Brentford’s Christian Norgaard lined up as Arteta targets improvements in midfield.

Arsenal are desperate to sign a new striker in the summer transfer window with Sporting CP’s Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko emerging as their main two targets.

A deal for Gyokeres has been complicated by Sporting CP’s demands of £60-85m despite the striker believing he had a gentleman’s agreement with the Portuguese club allowing him to leave for €60m (£52m) plus €10m (£8m) this summer.

That has seen reports claiming that Gyokeres will refuse to return to pre-season training at Sporting as he looks to force a move away from the club.

A deal for Gyokeres could drag on unless Arsenal can negotiate a fair price for the striker and Daily Mail journalist Isaan Khan recently revealed that Arteta wants a striker signed by July 19.

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Khan wrote in a Q&A: ‘The target laid out by Mikel Arteta is for a striker to be signed before Arsenal fly out to Singapore on July 19 for their pre-season tour of Asia.

‘So I would envisage a deal having either being made or very close to finalising in the week commencing July 14. That would allow the signing to properly bed in with the squad and learn Arteta’s comprehensive tactics playbook ahead of the new season.

‘I understand that a striker will definitely be signed in this window, which will be a sigh of relief for Arsenal supporters who have been crying out for one since before last summer.

‘The names in the frame, as you will know by now unless you have been living on Mars, are Red Bull Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting CP and – further down the pecking order – Ollie Watkins at Aston Villa.’

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And now it looks like Khan was right with his comments as Arsenal are now stepping up their efforts to sign Gyokeres before Arteta’s July 19 deadline.

Romano wrote on X: ‘Arsenal are now getting closer to signing Viktor Gyökeres after new round of talks in recent hours. Gyökeres will NOT return for training at Sporting as he’s fully focused on leaving the club; Arsenal are now advancing. Nothing done yet but discussions underway.’

The transfer expert added: ‘More on Viktor Gyökeres big news. Gyökeres has reached TOTAL agreement with Arsenal on contract terms and informed Sporting about his desire to join #AFC. No intention to discuss other options, only to proceed with Arsenal as soon as possible. Deal well underway.’

It is understood that Sporting CP are still looking for €80m this summer but a report in A Bola insists that there demands have slightly changed as that figure ‘could be achieved through realistic variables’.