Viktor Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko? Arsenal to sign the less-favoured striker this summer: Report

If Arsenal must choose between Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko as their ideal summer signing, Mikel Arteta's side will not hesitate to pick the former. However, Sporting's impractical financial demands to allow Gyokeres to leave for the Premier League before next season could convince Arsenal to settle for Sesko instead, Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla has claimed.

 

Arteta, along with the Emirates higher-ups, is fully convinced that they cannot challenge Manchester City and Liverpool for the Premier League without a clinical finisher up front. 22-year-old Sesko and 27-year-old Gyokeres are the best options available on the market, and the Londoners have been linked with both for some time.

 

Swedish international Gyokeres is desperate for a move away from Lisbon, but Arsenal are unable to finalize talks due to an increased asking price. While the Swedish international's market price is estimated at around €100 million by his parent club, they had orally promised him an exit for a more reasonable price. However, when the time arrived, Sporting decided to maximize the deal's sum. A sum even slightly over €70 million is too much for Arsenal's coffers, especially with a younger Sesko available for far less. Gyokeres is thus on the warpath with his current team, which broke the "gentlemen's agreement" they made with him, reportedly vowing never to don the Sporting jersey again.

Who else want to sign Gyokeres?

Manchester United and Juventus are also interested in Gyokeres, but a deal looks less probable than the Arsenal one. Juventus cannot meet the asking price, while United can only approach if they manage to offload some of their highest earners, such as Marcus Rashford, Antony, or Mason Mount. Many were surprised when the Swede prioritised the Arsenal move over United, which is now coached by former Sporting boss, Ruben Amorim. 

 

There were earlier reports claiming that Gyokeres may consider a reunion with Amorim if he feels the Gunners are prioritising Sesko over him. 

 

According to Alfredo Pedulla, Gyokeres indeed is Arsenal's priority but they will not overpay. If Sporting remain hellbent on the €100 million asking price, Arsenal will decide to pursue Sesko more aggressively in the hope of sealing a more realistic deal, Pedulla said.

 

The picture will become evident once the transfer activities become more vibrant after the FIFA Club World Cup.

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