Gyokeres to wear ‘iconic’ Arsenal shirt as ‘preference’ blocked in ‘sign of considerable confidence’
Viktor Gyokeres is set to wear an ‘iconic’ Arsenal shirt with his medical set for Saturday after being denied his first choice, according to David Ornstein.
Arsenal finally reached an agreement with Sporting for Gyokeres‘ transfer on Wednesday, agreeing to pay €63.5m plus a potential €10m in bonuses payments.
The player’s agent has given up his 10 per cent cut, with the two clubs eventually ironing out differences as to how achievable those bonuses would be.
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Portuguese outlet Record reported:
‘According to our newspaper, the €10m remains “attainable,” but now for a longer period, the full duration of the contract. These objectives are related to the club’s individual and collective performance, in some cases combined—that is, titles or Champions League qualification only count if the player participates at least partially.’
Gyokeres was expected to fly in to London for his medical on Thursday before flying out to Singapore to meet his new teammates on their pre-season tour.
That didn’t happen, with Gyokeres still waiting to sign his Gunner contract after agreeing to a five-year deal on around €150,000 per week.
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O Jogo claim the delay is in part thanks to ‘the extreme positions’ of the two clubs, who no longer ‘trust each other’.
But Gyokeres is now ‘expected in London today’ ahead of completing his medical on Saturday before flying out to Singapore, as revealed by Romano.
Romano wrote on X: ‘Viktor Gyökeres has just received written authorization from Sporting to undergo medical at Arsenal! Medical will take place tomorrow, on Saturday with Swedish striker expected in London today. Saga over.’
And The Athletic’s David Ornstein has revealed that with Gabriel Jesus in possession of the No.9 shirt at the Emirates – thought to be Gyokeres’ preference – the striker is now set to take an ‘iconic’ shirt.
Ornstein revealed: ‘The 27-year-old will take the No 14 shirt at Arsenal, the number made iconic by the club’s record goalscorer Thierry Henry.’
On Gyokeres’ decision to wear Henry’s famous number, The Athletic’s Arsenal correspondent James McNicholas added:
‘It’s a sign of considerable confidence that Gyokeres is prepared to take on the number 14 shirt. At Arsenal, that number has a special significance — it was of course worn by Henry, the greatest goalscorer in Arsenal’s history. Henry scored a record 228 goals in 377 matches, surpassing the club’s previous top goalscorer, Ian Wright.
‘Theo Walcott — who scored more than 100 Arsenal goals — inherited the shirt from Henry, and it was also worn by Premier League golden boot winner and former club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
‘It is Henry’s legacy, however, that weighs heaviest on the shirt. With Gyokeres’ preferred number nine shirt currently held by Gabriel Jesus, he might have gone for the vacant number 10. Instead, he’s opted for 14 — a clear nod to Henry and Arsenal goalscoring heritage.’
