Swedish super striker Viktor Gyökeres shot into stardom under Ruben Amorim at Portuguese Sporting. – After the manager’s exit to Old Trafford in November, the 26-year-old took some time to find his scoring form again, but now it’s higher than ever.
FootballTransfers writes that Arsenal have sent an offer to Liam Delaps’ representatives in an attempt to secure a youngster as a support striker along with a more experienced and proven option.
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Change in Arsenal’s transfer strategy
Already in April, there were rumours that Arsenal had added Delap to their striker list, after Andrea Berta convinced Mikel Arteta to adjust the club’s transfer strategy.
Berta believes that Arsenal should focus on bringing in elite players who can deliver trophies in the short term, while also investing in promising talent for the future. This has led to the club shifting its focus away from Benjamin Šeško, whose buyout clause now exceeds 80 million euros.
Instead, Arsenal are prioritizing a double signing:
- Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP) – a ready-made top striker
- Liam Delap (Ipswich Town) – a young and promising supporter
Arsenal has sent formal offer to Delap
Arsenal are now formalizing their interest in Delap and presented a concrete offer for the 22-year-old. The club has: ✔
Agreed to Delaps’ wage demands
✔ Made it clear that he will have to fight for game time
✔ Stressed that he is likely to be second choice if Gyökeres (or another experienced striker) is signed, but also at times see if they can create a raw striker duo.
Status of the Gyökeres agreement
We reported earlier this week that Arsenal and Gyökeres have agreed on a future plan, but that more negotiations still need to be held with Sporting CP before a deal is in place.
Arsenal have no financial concerns regarding the Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and are ready to pay:
- Sporting’s desired price for Gyökeres
- Delaps buyout clause of 35 million euros
Delap is not in a hurry to make a decision. He is closely watching how the battle for European places develops in the Premier League, and knows that he has several interested parties.
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If Arsenal manage to sign both Gyökeres and Delap, they will have:
🔹 A fully developed goalscorer to compete for titles
🔹 A promising talent who can grow under Arteta’s guidance
