Arsenal has completed the signing of Viktor Gyökeres on Saturday. The Swedish striker arrives from Portuguese side Sporting CP, where he achieved dazzling goalscoring numbers in the past two seasons.
Gyökeres transferred from Coventry City to Sporting in the summer of 2023 and immediately started scoring consistently in Portugal. After an excellent debut year with 29 league goals, the 27-year-old forward fully took off last season. He scored no less than 54 times in all competitions.
With 97 goals in 102 games, Gyökeres nearly had a one-to-one ratio for Sporting. Including assists, he was directly involved in 125 goals in 102 matches. Due to his impressive statistics, Gyökeres was the subject of interest from several top European clubs, including Manchester United.
Arsenal is reportedly paying 63.5 million euros for the Swede. That amount could increase further through bonuses. It is unclear for how many seasons Gyökeres has signed. Arsenal speaks of “a long-term contract”. The striker will play in London with the number 14 on his back.
Gyökeres wanted to leave Sporting after last season, but the Portuguese club did not let him go without a fight. The striker then decided to avoid Sporting’s training sessions to force a transfer.
With the arrival of Gyökeres, Arsenal finally has a real number nine again. The London club played for months last year without a striker because attacker Gabriel Jesus was injured. Jesus will also be absent when Arsenal opens the Premier League season at home against United on August 17.