Arsenal lost Bukayo Saka to a hamstring injury for a couple of months at the backend of 2024 and matters went from bad to worse recently as another in-form forward, Gabriel Jesus, was taken out by a serious injury. The Brazilian’s ACL tear is expected to rule him out for the majority of 2025, thus making the club’s pursuit of a striker a more serious matter.
Mikel Arteta revealed that a dual fitness blow could see the Gunners explore their options in the transfer market this month. L’Equipe has claimed that an audacious move for Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres in January itself is not ruled out with Arsenal ready to trigger his £84 million release clause before the month-end.
Gyokeres has been in imperious form and has contributed to 38 goals and assists in all competitions this season for Sporting Lisbon, hence garnering interest from several other sounds from the Premier League and elsewhere in Europe.
It is expected that he switches pastures soon but Arsenal are hoping to beat competition as majority of the player’s suitors would consider his transfer in the summer as opposed to January.
January move for Gyokeres not likely
Arsenal’s readiness to pay £84 million for Viktor Gyokeres is likely to lead them nowhere in January as the Swedish international has reportedly told his agent that he wants to see out the remainder of 2024/25 with Sporting Lisbon. He is open to moving clubs in the summer, however, when the Gunners would once again enter the mix.
For the months that remain in the ongoing season, Mikel Arteta would likely to have look for a temporary or low-cost solution as another one of his targets, Benjamin Sesko, may also not want to leave his current club, RB Leipzig, halfway into the season.
Arsenal had been linked with a loan for Randal Kolo Muani although Juventus stole a march over them and secured the Frenchman’s transfer. The Gunners have also strongly emerged into the picture as a loan destination for Evan Ferguson and the Irishman promises to be their best possible fix until the summer transfer window opens.
