Arsenal pick their striker as Berta makes €100m hitman transfer priority

Arsenal’s new sporting director Andrea Berta has already earmarked the striker he wants to sign for the Gunners ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Berta only arrived at the Emirates Stadium last week, but the Italian has made Athletic Club winger Nico Williams his priority on the wing and has now made Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres his leading priority for the No.9 role, according to GMS.

Gyokeres is a player who has long been associated with the Gunners. Mikel Arteta has pursued the Sweden international star for well over a year but has been unable to make a deal happen.

Now the 26-year-old is ready to leave Sporting and the door is open for Arsenal to make a move.

Although Gyokeres has a release clause worth €100 million in his contract, a deal is expected to be possible around the €70m mark.

Arsenal have yet to make contact over a deal for this summer, but they are preparing to speak to Sporting about the player, who has 42 goals in 42 appearances across all competitions this season.

While the Gunners have been dreaming of signing Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, there is an acceptance that a deal for Gyokeres’ Sweden partner will be beyond them because the asking price is too high, GMS adds. RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko remains a prominent target, however.

Arsenal boost as Man Utd move away from Gyokeres

Manchester United are moving away from Gyokeres, who had been linked to the Old Trafford club as part of a reunion with Ruben Amorim.

Instead, Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and Ipswich Town sensation Liam Delap are considered higher priorities at Old Trafford.

This comes as a boost to Arsenal’s chances of landing Gyokeres, for whom the Amorim X-factor might have provided a challenging hurdle for them to overcome in any transfer battle.