Arsenal target leaves door open for blockbuster move as £30m star edges closer to exit

Arsenal target Viktor Gyokeres has refused to rule out a late transfer this summer following his latest hat-trick against Farense.

The Gunners have had a relatively quiet transfer window up until this point with Riccardo Calafiori and David Raya being their only signings as of writing.

Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino is expected to be their next addition and the club is still open to the idea of signing a new striker if the right opportunity arises.

Kai Havertz has done a fine job at leading the line for Arsenal so far this season and Mikel Arteta also has Gabriel Jesus to rely upon once he returns to fitness.

While Arteta seems content with his forward options, it’s no secret that the club have been looking at a number of different players throughout the summer.

Of those options is Sporting’s Gyokeres who has been in fine goalscoring form since he arrived in Portugal last summer.

The 26-year-old has scored 49 goals in just 54 appearances for the club and he’s already scored three goals in just six league matches this season.

He managed to score a hat-trick in his last game against Farense and when asked about his future, he left the door open for a potential move between now and the end of the window.

“I think so, I’ll stay here, but you never know what’s going to happen,” Gyokeres told reporters after the game.

“It doesn’t just depend on me, but I feel very good here. There are things I don’t know, things happen quickly, but I’m not worried about that. I love being here.”

MORE ON ARSENAL FROM F365
👉 Wright claims ‘very dangerous’ Arsenal star is at risk of being replaced by ‘unbelievable’ star in Arteta XI
👉 Champions League club ‘ready to snatch’ Arsenal star as Arteta ‘threatens’ La Liga side
👉 Arsenal will sell Arteta signing ‘if right offer’ comes as Southampton open transfer ‘talks’

His contract with Sporting is valid until 2028 and clubs will need to trigger his €100m release clause to prize him away from the club.

If Arsenal decide against signing a striker this summer, they could be left short in that department as Eddie Nketiah is edging closer to the exit door.

Earlier this week, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Nketiah had agreed personal terms with Nottingham Forest and the Premier League club are ‘confident’ of getting the deal over the line.

The 25-year-old was an unused substitute in Arsenal’s latest game against Aston Villa and the Gunners are expected to bank around £30m from his sale.

While Nketiah’s imminent departure could leave Arsenal short of options, Arteta seems happy enough with the players at his disposal.

“We have some great strikers. Gabi (Gabriel) Jesus is there, Kai (Havertz) has played there a lot of minutes, Leo (Leandro Trossard) has played there and we believe we have all the necessities as well. We fully trust our players,” Arteta told reporters.

“We want to get better for sure and we will try but we are going to try with the players that are already with us.”

More: Arsenal | Mikel Arteta | Premier League