Arsenal on Saturday announced the signing of Swedish international striker Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon, bolstering their attacking options as they attempt to challenge for the Premier League title.
The 27-year-old, who fired Sporting to the Portuguese title last season with 39 goals and netted a Champions League hat-trick against Manchester City, is reported to have signed a five-year deal in a transfer worth an initial £57.4 million (65.7 million euros).
Gyokeres’ transfer, which could end up costing the north London club as much as £66.4 million with performance-related add-ons, takes Arsenal’s close-season spending to the region of £200m.
“To come here to a club on Arsenal’s level, I think it’s going to help me perform even better with all the amazing players in this team. I’m really excited to get going,” said Gyokeres.
He becomes Mikel Arteta’s sixth summer signing and follows defender Cristhian Mosquera (£13m), midfielder Martin Zubimendi (£60m), goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga (£5m), midfielder Christian Norgaard (£10m) and forward Noni Madueke (£48.5m) in moving to the Emirates.
“I just felt that it was the right club for me,” said Gyokeres.
“When I was playing against Arsenal last season, I could really feel it was a very strong team and very difficult to play against.”
Gyokeres will be expected to meet up with his new team-mates in Arsenal’s ongoing pre-season tour of Singapore and Hong Kong.
The Gunners face Newcastle in the Singapore National Stadium on Sunday ahead of the concluding game of their tour, against Tottenham in Hong Kong on July 31.
“I always want to score,” added Gyokeres. “To be a part of this club and to score in this kit and with this badge in front of all the supporters, I can’t wait. It will be an amazing feeling.”
– Return to England –
Gyokeres moved to Brighton from Swedish side Brommapojkarna in January 2018, but spent time on loan at St Pauli and then Swansea and Coventry, before making a permanent move to the Sky Blues in July 2021.
After Coventry were beaten on penalties by Luton in the 2023 Championship final at Wembley, Gyokeres completed a £20.5m switch to Sporting. He scored a remarkable 97 goals in 102 matches for the Portuguese side.
“I started here (in England), it feels like a long time ago. I think I’ve improved a lot since then. Now I want to prove myself for real and perform together with the team,” said Gyokeres.
Arsenal spent the concluding months of last season without a recognised striker following long-term injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.
Even before then, Arsenal were in desperate need of a reliable scorer, and Arteta will hope his new signing can fire him to his first silverware since he won the FA Cup in 2020, and end the club’s two-decade wait for a Premier League title.
“Viktor has so many qualities. He is a quick and powerful presence up front, with incredible goalscoring numbers at club and international levels,” said Arteta.
“We’re excited about what Viktor brings to our squad and are looking forward to start working with him.”
Arsenal’s new sporting director Andrea Berta has wasted little time in strengthening a squad which has finished runners-up in the league for the past three seasons.
Gabriel and Myles Lewis-Skelly have also put pen to paper on new contracts in the off-season, with a long-term extension for teenager Ethan Nwaneri believed to be all but completed.
bur/mw/lp
© Agence France-Presse
