Mikel Arteta and Stan Collymore (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images, Daniel Chesterton/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Arsenal have been busy in the transfer market in the last couple of weeks, and more is to come at the Emirates. Kepa Arrizabalaga and Martin Zubimendi have already signed, and they could soon be joined by Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke.
Gyokeres has already agreed personal terms with Arsenal, who are now hoping to secure an agreement with Sporting CP. Madueke is more advanced, with a deal having already been struck with Chelsea, meaning that he will now travel to north London to finalise his arrival.
Collymore reacts to Arsenal deals for Gyokeres and Madueke
Speaking in his exclusive CaughtOffside column, Stan Collymore gave his assessment of Arsenal’s decision to move for Gyokeres and Madueke.
“It’s a gamble, but all strikers are a gamble. I don’t think any Nottingham Forest fan thought that Chris Wood was going to come in and have the impact he’s had there. I think many people thought Hojlund would come in and at least get 10-15 goals at Man United. Football often cannot be predicted.
“I think that only really Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to score 20, 30, 40 goals a season. So it’s a gamble with Gyokeres, but he will be confident. He scored a lot at Sporting, and he knows English football, having been at Brighton, Swansea and Coventry.
? EXCLUSIVE ?@FabrizioRomano tells @caughtoffside that Arsenal’s deal for Viktor Gyokeres has NOT collapsed!
Full info below ?? pic.twitter.com/10ZMFWWbnt
— CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) July 11, 2025
“So for me, it’s simple: get the deal across the line. Get him in before he gets frustrated, or a team like Man United submits a cheeky bid. Arsenal need to get the business done. He’s worth the risk. He’s worth the gamble, and he’s an out-and-out striker, something that Arsenal really haven’t had for some time now.
“If I was Arsenal, I wouldn’t go for Noni Madueke. If they’re going to go for a dynamic wide man that goes past players, has got that little bit of something extra as well as proven with his last couple of seasons, that I would be going for Eze.
“Madueke seems a little bit too obvious. He’s in the area. He’s coming from a London club, possibly knows some of the Arsenal guys. He’s been a little bit hit and miss at Chelsea. He’s talented, but I’m not convinced that Madueke is a regular match winner like Bukayo Saka or Gyokeres.
“So for me, it would be a no, and I would be going to Crystal Palace and looking at Eze. There’s nothing wrong with Madueke, but I’m not convinced that over the next 3-5 years, he’s going to deliver the kind of numbers or performances that Arsenal are going to need if they’re going to win a Premier League title or a Champions League.”
