Man United's Last-Minute Bid Threatens to Hijack Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres Transfer
In yet another development in the ongoing drama surrounding Sporting CP's Viktor Gyökeres, Arsenal face the risk of losing the Swedish striker to Premier League competitors Manchester United.
The Red Devils, managed by former Sporting coach Ruben Amorim who enjoys tremendous respect from Gyökeres, had been connected to the prolific scorer throughout the transfer window. Nevertheless, as United pursued deals for Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, Arsenal appeared to gain the upper hand in securing Europe's most coveted forward.
The Gunners had apparently reached terms with Gyökeres, leaving only small details to be resolved. However, these discussions regarding appropriate add-ons have persisted, leading to nervous reports from Portugal suggesting the deal had collapsed completely. A BOLA reported that the striker's father was moved to tears. But Stefan Gyökeres's son may still be bound for England.
On Sunday morning, Record validated reports that Manchester United were "very close" to securing the 27-year-old. Amorim's team is believed to have submitted an offer that matches Arsenal's proposal—reportedly worth an initial €63.5 million (£55.1 million, $75.1 million) plus an additional €10 million (£8.7 million, $11.7 million) in performance-based incentives.
United's increased financial dedication to Gyökeres might have been influenced by Marcus Rashford. The England forward is allegedly heading to Barcelona on a season-long loan that will reportedly remove his entire salary from the club's books, potentially saving United up to £17 million ($22.8 million).
While Sporting's position on this matter remains unclear, Gyökeres is believed to still favor joining Arsenal. United may have the manager who elevated the Swedish attacker from a Championship player into one of Europe's deadliest strikers, but they cannot provide European competition. Arsenal, conversely, would be anticipated to make another strong Champions League campaign while contending for the Premier League crown.
The Gunners have already exceeded their internal deadline for signing Gyökeres. Mikel Arteta had wanted to begin the club's pre-season Asian tour with a new striker available and will now have to rely on Kai Havertz as his sole senior center-forward option.