Arsenal line up £85.5m signing of striker who’s outscoring Haaland and is superior to Osimhen and Toney

Arsenal have settled on their explosive No 1 striker target for the summer, and with the frontman’s current deal containing a release clause, a transfer is there for the making.

The Gunners may yet finish the season with a Premier League or Champions League trophy – or both – in the bank. However, there’s a sense there’s another top tier signing or two required before Arsenal can truly topple Manchester City as the dominant force in English football.

The striker position has become a point of contention this season. Gabriel Jesus has been plagued by injuries, though even when fit, struggles to score at a ratio of better than one in three.

TEAMtalk exclusively learned on Tuesday that Eddie Nketiah has been told he’s free to leave at season’s end. Crystal Palace are keen once again after showing prior interest, though they aren’t the only Premier League side in the mix.

Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard can both deputise up top. However, neither are out-and-out strikers and are often utilised in other positions even in Jesus’ absence anyway.

As such, signing a striker is understood to be on the agenda at the Emirates. Brentford’s Ivan Toney is admired, though TEAMtalk can confirm Arsenal’s current intentions do not involve moving for the England international.

Doubts over whether he’ll prove value for money have emerged. Toney will turn 28 in March and Brentford could hold out for a fee in the £60m-£80m range.

Furthermore, some of Arsenal’s coaching staff harbour doubts over Toney’s playing style meshing well with the other forwards Mikel Arteta selects.

We divulged four alternative strikers who are now coming under consideration, with Sporting frontman Viktor Gyokeres amongst them.

Now, according to online outlet Football Transfers, it’s Sweden international Gyokeres who Arsenal have fixed their gaze on.

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Why Arsenal have chosen Gyokeres

The publication state Arsenal have made the 25-year-old their ‘number one striker transfer target’ for the summer and the Sporting ace is viewed as a perfect fit for Arteta’s tactical vision.

Gyokeres is capable of playing on either flank if required, though his bread and butter is leading the line to devastating effect.

It’s claimed his tactical and positional versatility is what makes him stand out in Arsenal’s eyes and puts him clear of Toney and fellow striker target Victor Osimhen. Furthermore, the hitman is also putting up spectacular numbers in front of goal too.

Gyokeres has remarkably scored 33 goals and provided 12 assists in just 37 matches for Sporting this season.

For context, Erling Haaland – widely viewed as world football’s No 1 striker – has returned figures of 29 goals and six assists in 33 matches, albeit in tougher competitions.

Gyokeres signed with Sporting in a €24m (including add-ons) deal last summer. His former club, Coventry City, successfully inserted a sell-on clause into the agreement. Reports differ, though most state the clause is set at 15 percent.

Another clause is present in Gyokeres’ deal with Sporting and that is the one that will interest the Gunners.

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Sporting powerless through release clause

Sporting can be taken out of the equation if any club activates Gyokeres’ €100m release clause. That roughly equates to £85.5m at the current exchange rate.

Arsenal showed a willingness to spend big for the right player last summer when smashing their transfer record for Declan Rice (£105m).

Triggering Gyokeres’ clause would place him second on the list of Arsenal’s most expensive-ever buys.

But if he’s the man to help topple Man City and usher in a new era of domination in north London, it’ll prove money well spent.

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