‘I want’ - £87m-rated Viktor Gyokeres has already told Arsenal his answer amid transfer links

Arsenal must change Viktor Gyokeres’ mind if they are to persuade him to leave Sporting Lisbon this summer.

The Swede has been in sensational form throughout 2023-24, bagging 30 goals in 33 games across all competitions. Lisbon only signed Gyokeres last summer for around £20million after impressing in the Championship to Coventry City.

It is understood Arsenal must stump up more than treble that to prise him from Portugal at the end of the season. Lisbon inserted a hefty £87million release clause when they signed the 25-year-old from the Sky Blues.

Arsenal fans have craved a top-level striker all season with Gabriel Jesus suffering injury problems and the jury remaining out on Eddie Nketiah. Gyokeres is yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s top five leagues - adding an air of uncertainty to any potential deal.

There are also doubts about whether the forward would want to move so soon into his Lisbon career. He appeared to fend off suggestions about a possible move when grilled by the media last month.

At the time, it was Chelsea rumoured to be considering a mammoth offer to bolster their attacking options. Gyokeres insisted he is “very happy” in the Portuguese capital - although never outlined his ambitions beyond the current campaign despite his comments indicating he has no strong desire to depart Sporting.

“I think it’s (speculation) a bit like when Sporting came in to sign me,” Gyokeres told Record. “I’m very happy here and I don’t care about any interested parties, at the moment.

“I’m enjoying every day here and not thinking about what’s going on around me. Yes, there’s talk of big clubs. But, for now, it’s just news. That’s all. Yes (whether he would be at Lisbon beyond January). This is where I want to stay.”