Arsenal have answer to Viktor Gyokeres transfer problem with free deal Mikel Arteta will love

Arsenal continue to be locked in talks with Sporting CP to sign Viktor Gyokeres this summer but the lack of movement in the deal has caused some concerns.

Reports in Portugal in the last week have suggested that the deal between the two clubs could collapse over disagreements regarding the structure of the fee. football.london understands that, despite these rumours, there is still an expectation that Gyokeres will sign for the Gunners.

It is believed that Sporting want a deal with €70million (£60m) guaranteed plus €10m (£8.6m) in add-ons whereas Arsenal would prefer to pay €65m (£56m) up front with €15m (£12.9m) in add-ons. However, Portuguese journalist David Novo has claimed that there is currently a €5m difference in valuation between the two.

Right now, optimism that Gyokeres will join Mikel Arteta's side for their pre-season tour of Asia is dwindling. The Gunners kick-off their summer schedule against AC Milan in Singapore on Wednesday July 23 and as things stand, there is no new centre-forward in the squad.

The longer the saga drags on, the more pressure falls on the laps of Arteta and Andrea Berta. Benjamin Sesko has previously been on their radar but RB Leipzig's £77.6m valuation of the striker has put Arsenal off.

Other players are expected to be linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium as the 2025/26 season draws nearer. One of them is Dusan Vlahovic and the club's long-standing interest in the Serbian could mean he finally moves to north London on a free.

Journalist Rahman Osman has claimed that Arsenal have shown interest in Vlahovic's situation at Juventus this summer. It's said that the North Londoners have a meeting with the Italian side scheduled for next week to discuss a potential deal.

Juventus have been heavily tipped to cash-in on Vlahovic this summer but no move has materialised. Extreme measures have even been considered with the Old Lady reportedly prepared to terminate his exit to get him out the door.

The 25-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Arsenal in 2022 before he left Fiorentina for Juventus. Two-and-a-half years later and he's now in his final 12 months of his contract in Turin and an extension is thought to be off the table.

Reports in Italy have suggested that Vlahovic is prepared to sit out of the entire 2025/26 season in order to receive his supposed £10.3m salary. To avoid that, Juventus are preparing to make Vlahovic an offer to terminate his contract and spread the salary over a longer period.

The current situation between Vlahovic and Juventus remains unclear but he isn't expected to be involved in their plans for the new season. Doubts and worries about Gyokeres could mean Arsenal could sign a striker without paying a transfer fee, allowing their transfer funds to be spent elsewhere.

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