The saga surrounding the transfer of Viktor Gyökers is still not definitely over and all Arsenal fans are eagerly watching social media to see if the transfer has finally been completed. In a nutshell: it hasn't. The notorious "HERE WE GO" of Italian journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. What's holding back the Swedish marksman's transfer to north London? Let's take a look together at everything we know from verified sources. There are many interesting facts about one of the most talked about transfers of the whole summer. Let's get to it.
Current situation
According to British journalist Chris Whealtey Arsenal's management, led by sporting director Andrea Berta remains completely calm about the transfer of Viktor Gyökers. Despite the fact that the negotiations between the North London club and Sporting have been stagnant for several days due to the structure of bonus payments, the mood at the Emirates Stadium is optimistic. There was a significant shift in negotiations early last week, with the two sides finally finding common ground on the amount of the severance package. Arsenal will send the Portuguese club's coffers for the services of the Swedish international £55 million. In addition to the fixed component of the transfer amount, the following are also included bonuses, which are a bone of contention between the two clubs. Surprisingly, however, the amount of bonuses is not the problem, which amounts to £8 million, but the conditions for their payment.
Sporting insists that bonuses are easy to achieve in a relatively short timeframe, while Arsenal wants to split the bonus component between guaranteed (for a certain number of starts) and motivational component (e.g. winning the Premier League). From my point of view, discussions about how Arsenal pay bonuses are unnecessarily heated. This is one of the biggest transfers (if not the biggest transfer) under the guidance of Mikel Arteta'sand so I would simply meet the required conditions. Especially if it's not an astronomical amount. I understand that both sides are trying to prove their dominance to each other, but it would be in the best interest of the club to get the transfer done as soon as possible.
Only Arsenal
The player himself and his agent are doing everything possible to make the transfer happen as soon as possible. Hasan Çetinkaya, the Swedish footballer's agent, even gave up a 10 percent commissionto facilitate negotiations between the clubs. Everyone can probably calculate the amount of money Çetinkaya has lost by this gesture. Hats off to him. Viktor Gyökeres has made it clear since the start of the transfer window that Arsenal is his only option. Despite Sporting offering his services to Arab clubs or even Manchester United, the Swede's position is clear. Only Arsenal. Moreover, reports that Manchester United are planning to make a bid for Gyökers are not true according to relevant sources.
Gyökeres vs. Sporting
Ever since Arsenal expressed interest in the Swedish striker's services, tensions have been building between Gyökeres and Sporting. The Portuguese club, or rather the club's president, Federico Varandas, did not comply with a verbal agreement on the amount of severance payand the 27-year-old refused to join the Portuguese team's training in protest. Sporting's management formally issued the Swede with a disciplinary warning after he failed to turn up for pre-season training. However, the Swedish international, through his lawyers, has in return said that will never play for Sporting. After two fantastic seasons with Sporting, the relationship between the player and the club has come to a standstill.
What's next?
Arsenal fly to Asia for pre-season tour on Saturday 19 July 2025where he will take on AC Milan, Newcastle and Tottenham. The Canaries will be on an Asian tour until the end of July. If the management of the English team could negotiate a transfer in the next few days, it is possible that Viktor Gyökeres would join the team. Mikel Arteta himself is pushing for the transfer to be completed as quickly as possible. The Swedish striker is currently following an individual training program to keep himself fit. Although at the end of last week there was a chance that the Swedish footballer would become a Canaries player before Arsenal's departure to Asia, the opposite was true. Sporting's utmost reluctance in negotiating the form of bonus payments has delayed the implementation of the entire transfer. So the transfer saga drags on. Let's hope that in the next few days we will see a resolution in the form of a transfer to Emirates Stadium.
Gyökeres is currently located in Mallorcawhere he is waiting for the departure instructions to London to complete his transfer to Emirates Stadium.
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Editor, administrator and editor of the True Gunner Diary website, but above all a devoted Arsenal fan. I started with sports articles at the Tipsport bookmaker, where I have published more than 100 blogs. If you want to know more about me, check out the section of the same name here on the site.