Viktor Gyokeres joins Arsenal: Sporting striker completes transfer to Premier League club signing five-year deal | Football News

July 26, 2025

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Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres.

The Gunners will pay the Portuguese club a £55m (€63m) guaranteed fee, plus £8.5m (€10m) in add-ons, with Gyokeres joining on a five-year deal.

Bringing in a striker has been a primary focus for Arsenal in this transfer window having explored conditions for several players, including RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

Gyokeres says he wants to “prove himself for real” in the Premier League, having shone in the Championship with Coventry before he moved to Sporting.

“I always want to score,” he said after signing for Arsenal. “To be a part of this club and to score in this kit and with this badge in front of all the supporters, I can’t wait. It will be an amazing feeling.

“I started here [in England], it feels like a long time ago. I think I’ve improved a lot since then. Now I want to prove myself for real and perform together with the team.

“It’s a big honour to play for your country, and then to score goals for them is amazing. When I played at Sporting, I scored a few goals in the Champions League so I feel that I can be on that level as well. Now to come here to a club on Arsenal’s level, I think it’s going to help me perform even better with all the amazing players in this team. I’m really excited to get going.”

Sky Sports News reported in June that Gyokeres was a Manchester United target after they made an initial approach for him through intermediaries.

Last month, Sporting president Frederico Varandas revealed Gyokeres would not be allowed to leave for less than £59m (€70m) this summer after disputing the existence of a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with the Swede’s agent that would allow him to leave for a fixed fee of £50.8m (€60m), plus £8.4m (€10m) in add ons.

After joining Sporting from Coventry City for around £20m in 2023, Gyokeres has scored an incredible 97 goals in just 102 matches during his two seasons in the Portuguese capital.

Gyokeres netted 54 goals in only 52 games in all competitions last campaign, including a hat-trick against Manchester City in the Champions League, as he helped Sporting win the league and the Portuguese Cup.

A move to Arsenal sees Gyokeres return to English football, having joined Brighton & Hove Albion in January 2018, before moving to Coventry after loan spells at St Pauli and Swansea City.

Gyokeres scored 43 goals for Coventry in his two-and-a-half seasons with the Championship side.

Coventry will receive just over £4m due to a 10 per cent sell-on clause and Brighton are also due a small amount for the deal they agreed when selling him.

Coventry’s sell-on was originally 15 per cent but they sold five per cent of that back to Sporting last summer for an undisclosed amount.

Arteta: Gyokeres has so many qualities

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta on signing Viktor Gyokeres:

“We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Viktor Gyokeres to the club. The consistency he has shown in his performances and availability have been outstanding, and his goal contributions speak for themselves.

“Viktor has so many qualities. He is a quick and powerful presence up front, with incredible goalscoring numbers at club and international levels.

“He brings a clinical edge with a high conversion rate of chances into goals, with his intelligent movement in the box making him a constant threat.

“We’re excited about what Viktor brings to our squad and are looking forward to start working with him. We welcome Viktor and his family to Arsenal.”

Berta: Gyokeres is the perfect fit – he will have major impact

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta on signing Viktor Gyokeres:

“We are so pleased with the excellent deal we have completed to bring Viktor Gyokeres to the club.

“Viktor is an exceptional talent and has consistently demonstrated he has the qualities and winning mentality required of a top-level centre-forward.

“His physicality, intelligence and work ethic make him a perfect fit for our vision.

“We are confident Viktor will have a major impact on the pitch and become an important figure in our dressing room. Welcome, Viktor!”

Analysis: Is Gyokeres Arsenal’s missing piece or a gamble?

For years, the football world called for Arsenal to sign a striker and the Gunners have finally responded.

The move is set to be a standout one for the Premier League – no player in Europe’s top eight divisions matched Gyokeres’ 39 league goals for Sporting last season and it could herald the arrival of another elite goalscorer for the division.

But it is even more significant for Arsenal, given their spending under Mikel Arteta.