Viktor Gyokeres to Arsenal transfer twist as ‘talks’ opened over move

Now into the first week of the summer transfer window, Arsenal have the opportunity to enact their plan to boost hopes of Premier League and European success.

Mikel Arteta’s side missed out on both the Premier League and Champions League crowns, finishing ten points behind winners Liverpool in the former and losing to eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain in the latter.

While severely disappointing, it is the closest they have come to winning both simultaneously and if anything, the 2024/25 push evidenced what needs fixing in this Arsenal team.

So now able to make transfers, top of the agenda at the Emirates Stadium is a new striker. Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres have been narrowed down to top targets.

And the Gunners will have other ambitions too. That said, these ambitions do not always come to fruition as the transfer script is forever developing.

Here, football.london analyses and gives insight towards the latest Arsenal transfer stories.

New Gyokeres competition

According to The Mirror, newly-crowned Serie A champions Napoli are the latest club to enter the race for Gyokeres.

This is said to be by order of manager Antonio Conte, who has now agreed to stay in charge of the club after their title success and wants transfers completed to establish supremacy in Italy.

With the Gunners deciding between Sesko and the Sporting CP striker, Napoli are ready to pounce and make the north Londoners pay for waiting around.

They would also beat Manchester United, who need to raise money through sales before being able to move for Gyokeres.

football.london says: It will only be told after the fact whether Arsenal made the correct decision going for whichever striker they choose. There are qualities and traits that appeal in both. Sesko is on the younger side of the spectrum at 21, so it is understandable why they would pick him for longevity over soon-to-be 27-year-old Gyokeres. The Premier League would be a huge challenge for both.

Shock Partey talks

Radio station talkSPORT report that Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has now began contract talks with La Liga outfit Barcelona, which would come as a shock to the Gunners.

As football.london reported, it is the club’s wish to have their Ghanaian’s future resolved so that he will stay beyond June 30, however there is no agreement in place yet to allow that to happen.

Meanwhile, Partey has the right to speak to foreign clubs about a free transfer and it had recently been claimed Barca were interested. This could be start of a new saga.

football.london says: With it Arsenal and Arteta’s wish to keep the player, of course it would be a blow to their plans if Partey were to leave. At least it would seem like Martin Zubimendi is going to arrive, making the loss of a defensive midfielder less painful, but if the 31-year-old were to jump ship then it would put increasing pressure on finding a back-up in the position when plenty is already being spent on the Spaniard and a new striker.