Viktor Gyokeres has been intensely linked with a move to the Premier League for some time, with Arsenal and Chelsea the two leading sides for the striker.
The Swedish international has been the breakout star in Europe this season with the former Coventry City star scoring 36 goals in all competitions with Sporting Lisbon, as well as bagging 15 assists for the Portuguese giants.
As a result, Arsenal have been strongly linked with a move for Gyokeres, with recent reports suggesting that the attacker’s agent has held meetings with interested clubs heading into the summer transfer window, with the forward valued at £85m.
Yet it now appears that Gyokeres has a preference as to which club the Sporting star wants to join this summer between Arsenal and Chelsea.
Gyokeres now has a transfer preference between Arsenal and Chelsea
According to FootballTransfers, it is Arsenal who are Gyokeres’ first-choice pick heading into the summer, even with the attacker aware of ‘interest’ from Chelsea, who are expected to go big on a new striker this summer.
With Arsenal also in the market for a marquee centre-forward, Gyokeres would fill the bill perfectly for Mikel Arteta’s side, who are in need of a world-class player to lead the line next season with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli working out on the wings.
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Indeed, whilst Gyokeres’ asking price might seem high for many Arsenal fans, the striker’s goalscoring and assist record this season might make £85m sound justifiable if the Swedish star can replicate this form in the Premier League.
And with Gyokeres now preferring a move to Arsenal ahead of the likes of Chelsea, the north London side need to test the waters with the Sporting star to see if a deal can be arranged to bring the 25-year-old back to England.
Arsenal have to get striker signing perfect this summer
Having hit the ball out of the park last summer over the signing of Declan Rice, Arsenal fans will be hopeful the Gunners can hit a similar home run this year in regards to signing a world-class striker to lead the line.
Whilst Gyokeres’ numbers are the best out of anyone in Europe, there’s always going to be that fear that the Sporting star is nothing but a flash in the pan, something Arsenal have fallen for before with the likes of Nicolas Pepe.
Which is why Arteta needs to get his striker signing perfect this summer, with Gyokeres certainly an option having dominated Portugal and Europe this season with an exciting Sporting side.