Romano: Arsenal contact £43m forward's agents, they've also met with Barcelona
da roleta： Fabrizio Romano has shared an update on Arsenal and sporting director Andrea Berta’s transfer plans, after manager Mikel Arteta was handed the major boost of Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres’ imminent arrival.
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da pinnacle： Gyokeres, according to The Independent, will fly out to Singapore for his medical as he looks to play some part in their pre-season tour of Asia, with Arsenal finally reaching a full breakthrough to sign the 27-year-old earlier this week.
Arsenal estimated transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)
Money on new signings
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
25/26 – summer
£140m
Gyokeres is poised to join Arsenal in a deal worth £64 million, including add-ons, with a full verbal agreement now struck between all parties as Arteta prepares to welcome the prolific number nine to his squad.
Given Arsenal’s struggles to break teams down last season, Gyokeres has the potential to be a title-winning signing, and people who’ve worked with the Sweden international simply cannot find enough superlatives to describe him.
“He really was incredible,” said Adi Viveash, who coached and mentored Gyokeres at Coventry City, to Sky Sports.
“His power, taking the ball and running with it, bursting through gaps, linking the play, being very good in both boxes set-piece-wise – which wasn’t a strength of his, but he became certainly very good at defensive set-pieces with me through front post defending.”
“If you give Vik half a pitch in behind with a high line and you get the line wrong, you’re never going to catch him. He’s going to keep making the run in behind so you’re wearing down opposition.”
After Gyokeres, who’ll also be joined by defender Cristhian Mosquera in Singapore, the plan for Arsenal is to prioritise a central attacking midfielder (Ben Jacobs).
Arsenal are seriously interested in Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze, as they have been for weeks, but more and more noise is surrounding an alternative to the England international in RB Leipzig sensation Xavi Simons.
Arsenal contact Xavi Simons camp amid Barcelona meeting
According to Romano, Arsenal are guaranteed to have made contact with Simons’ camp, with Chelsea also seriously contending for the 22-year-old’s signature as they plan transfer talks with Leipzig this week.
La Liga champions Barcelona, led by their sporting director Deco, also held a meeting with the Netherlands forward’s representatives recently, but a move to the Camp Nou is seen as unlikely for this window and more one for the future.
Right now, it appears Chelsea are the current favourites for Simons. However, Arsenal remain “attentive” to his situation and a north London switch hasn’t been entirely ruled out yet, meaning he’s still one to watch.
Leipzig only signed the player from PSG permanently in January for an initial £43 million, with Simons now preparing to leave the Bundesliga side after spending some significant time there on loan previously.
Called a “difference maker” by ex-Leipzig boss Marco Rose, Simons has racked up an impressive tally of 21 goals and 23 assists during his time in Germany, but the Premier League could now beckon for him.
Interestingly, journalist Buchi Laba is convinced that Simons would be a “better” Arsenal signing than Eze.