Arsenal handed boost in Viktor Gyokeres pursuit as rival drops out of race | OneFootball

Arsenal are reportedly leading the race to sign Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres and will be emboldened by Bayern Munich ending their pursuit of the Swedish hitman.

The Gunners could yet end the 2024/25 as European champions for the first time, but there's no doubt that there will be reinforcements aplenty in north London this summer. Their domestic campaign has been bitterly disappointing, with the club failing to do enough over the previous two transfer windows to bolster Mikel Arteta's attack.

After signing Raheem Sterling on loan at the end of the summer window, not a single move was made in January - a decision which, understandably, enraged supporters.

Arsenal's poor domestic form over the spring allowed Liverpool to canter to the Premier League title, and the mood will be bleak in N5 should they fail in their pursuit of Champions League glory.

Supporters are expecting a big summer, and many are desperate for new sporting director Andrea Berta to oversee the arrival of a big-name centre-forward. Arsenal have been linked with the likes of Alexander Isak, Benjamin Sesko and Hugo Ekitike, but Sporting's Gyokeres is said to be Berta's priority target.

Florian Plettenberg took to social media to confirm that Berta is "pushing" to sign Gyokeres this summer, adding that Bayern Munich have pulled out of the race due to the finances involved. The Swedish star is expected to leave Sporting for anywhere between €60m-€70m (£51m-£59.5m) this summer after a verbal agreement was reached between club and player.

While Bayern are out, Gyokeres' remarkable scoring record in Portugal means Arsenal aren't the only ones keen on striking a deal. Plettenberg also credits Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid with boasting an interest.

There have been many factors at play in Arsenal's domestic underperformance this season, including injuries, but there's also a feeling that the Gunners simply require superior talent in the final third of the pitch. Gyokeres may be somewhat unrefined, but he certainly knows where the goal is.

The Swedish international has scored 95 times in 99 appearances for Sporting, including six in eight in the Champions League.