Arteta SOLD Arsenal’s Gyokeres as Gunners suffer NEW injury blow

Mikel Arteta failed to land the striker that Arsenal wanted in the winter transfer window and has been told he sold the Gunners’ answer to Viktor Gyokeres.

The Sporting CP striker has emerged as one of the leading stars of the transfer market in recent months thanks to his prolific exploits in the Portuguese league.

Current ETV

Viktor Gyökeres

F (C)

Sporting CP

Viktor Gyökeres

F (C)

Sporting CP

€75M

ETV Range

€67.5M – €82.5M

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Arteta is a keen admirer of Gyokeres, and though RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko may appear higher on Arsenal’s transfer shortlist than the Swede, the former Coventry star is considered a very viable option for the Emirates side come the summer.

There had been an expectation that the North London side would sign a centre-forward in January to compensate for injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka, and the decision not to looks more costly with the news that Gabriel Martinelli has been struck down by a problem that will see him ruled him out for at least a month.

“Those who are fit, we need to make sure they stay fit,” Arteta said prior to the Newcastle clash in midweek in the Carabao Cup – the very game Martinelli picked up his problem during.

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More Gyokeres than Haaland or Kane

Arteta has now been told that he sold a figure who could have been ideal in this circumstance for just €9 million last January.

The Gunners moved on Mika Biereth to Sturm Graz, and the 22-year-old is now preparing to play Champions League football with Monaco after completing a €13m January transfer to the Ligue 1 side.

The striker, who described himself as “a mix between Erling Haaland and Harry Kane… only worse” already has four goals across four appearances for his new club.

“I think there’s more Viktor Gyokeres in him,” former Arsenal loan chief Ben Knapper told L’Equipe.

“Viktor also played in England, in the Championship, at Coventry City, and it was complicated for him before he became the player he is today at Sporting. Both have a very aggressive, very mobile style of play and they seem to have the same state of mind.

“Mika is a hungry guy, an extraordinary competitor, he’s shown it. On the pitch, if a team-mate gives him a bad ball and his defender gets to it first, he’s not the kind of player to let it go, he’s going to press him, bother him to get back in front.

“It’s the same for his career. He’s not the kind of player to stay comfortable and say to himself: ‘That’s it, I’m at a good club, I can let myself go.’ No, he will go even higher.”

Arsenal could use such a figure and may regret letting Biereth go for such a low price.