Arsenal have won the race for Viktor Gyokeres with a contract offer that Chelsea and Manchester United are unwilling to match, according to a report.
FootballTransfers has previously detailed that Arsenal have put themselves to the front of the race for Athletic Club winger Nico Williams thanks to their strong financial advantage, and they are set to put this muscle to good use in order to land the Sporting CP striker.
Arsenal had previously chased the Sweden hitman last summer and have reignited their interest thanks to the new sporting director. Indeed, Berta seems to be a big fan of the 26-year-old based on the Gunners’ proposed contract offer.
Gyokeres is set to be offered a bumper deal worth around €60 million (£50m) over five years, according to Just Arsenal.
His annual salary will be €12m (£10m) a year, which will push him into the bracket of the Gunners’ biggest earners.
Chelsea and Man Utd have also been following Gyokeres as both clubs are in need of the type of firepower he can provide, yet they have refused to match Arsenal’s wage offer for the player, who has 31 goals and seven assists in Liga Portugal this season.
Berta has to get it right
Despite Arsenal showing in their 3-0 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday that they do not need a striker to be considered among the best teams in Europe, there is an onus on Berta to get his deals right in his first transfer market. It will set the tone for what is to come.
Predecessor Edu dovetailed nicely with manager Mikel Arteta to provide the manager with a high-quality and cohesive squad, and the anticipation is that additions such as Nico Williams and Gyokeres will lift the Gunners to a new level.
With the investment that Arsenal are set to pour into their team, this is the expectation.
