According to A Bola via SportWitness, Chelsea want to beat Arsenal to the signature of Viktor Gyokeres. The Swedish striker prefers joining the Gunners but the Blues haven’t given up just yet. They are hoping to convince him to move to Stamford Bridge instead.
Gyokeres has only gone from strength to strength since joining Sporting CP from Coventry City in the summer of 2023. He had an exceptional debut campaign and has backed it up with some outstanding performances in the ongoing campaign.
In his 45 matches across competitions, the Swedish international has contributed towards 55 goals (44 goals, 11 assists). He is considered to be one of the best forwards in Europe at this point and there is no shortage of interest in him.
While his contract at the Portuguese club runs until the summer of 2028, he is all set to join a bigger club in the summer. Gyokeres reportedly has an agreement with the club that will allow him to leave for a fee of around €70 million even though he has a €100 million release clause.
The agreement will certainly benefit the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea who are keen on adding him to their squad. The North London club are believed to be the front-runners for his signature. Reports earlier in the month suggested that the player had already given the green light to the Gunners’ new sporting director Andrea Berta.
Mikel Arteta is keen on having a world-class striker lead his attack. He isn’t pleased with the output of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus and signing a striker is a top priority. Gyokeres has been at the top of their shortlist since the start, and he appears to favour a move to the North London club.
While Arsenal are closing in on his signature, Chelsea are looking to overtake them in the race. Enzo Maresca wants to bring in a total quality forward to lead his attack, even though Nicolas Jackson has done a decent job up to.
Gyokeres could help them take the next step, as a result, they are ready to rival Arteta’s team. While they are aware that he prefers joining Arsenal, the Blues are looking to convince him to change his mind.
