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Arsenal are prepared to table a “monster contract” to beat Manchester United in the race to sign Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres this summer, according to a report.
John Cross (Daily Mirror) reveals the Gunners have placed Gyokeres at the “top of their shopping list” this summer as new sporting director Andrea Berta “rates [him] highly and has strong links to get a deal done.”
The Spanish executive, who joined from Atletico Madrid, is prepared to make the 26-year-old forward “one of Arsenal’s top earners” with a wage packet worth “well in excess of £200,000 a week” – a move which will cause shockwaves at Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim – who swapped Lisbon for Manchester in November to replace Erik ten Hag – is a huge fan of Gyokeres after their shared time together in the Portuguese capital.
United’s head coach was pivotal in helping the Swede realise his potential as a lethal goal-scorer by making him the focal point of Sporting CP’s team, leading Gyokeres to return an almost incomprehensible 95 goals and 28 assists in just 100 games for O Leões.
The Red Devils have been linked with a move to reunite Gyokeres with his former manager at Old Trafford but Champions League football is thought to be influential to the 26-year-old’s decision.
Arsenal have already secured their place in next season’s competition while United remain uncertain, with next week’s Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur their only route back into Europe’s elite.
There is an agreement between Gyokeres and Sporting’s executive branch to accept offers in the region of €70 million (around £60m) this summer. However, Cross contends this figure “could go higher if there is a bidding war which puts the pressure on to get a deal done.”
The reporter states Arsenal “face competition” from United, among others, with the Swedish international “set to be one of the most sought-after transfers this summer.”
A report relayed by The Peoples Person revealed United are “keen” on a deal, while a separate piece detailed direct talks between Gyokeres and Amorim.
But the fact that the Gunners are prepared to make a decisive move for Gyokeres now with Champions League football secured and the prospect of a title challenge next year as gambits, compared to United who cannot promise either, could prove a deadly blow to the Red Devils’ hopes of signing the striker.
Arsenal also appear ready to blow their domestic rivals out of the water in terms of the financial package they are willing to offer, as INEOS seek to dramatically lower the wage bill at Old Trafford after years of profligacy under the previous regime.
Featured image Gualter Fatia via Getty Images
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