Arsenal ready to sanction Viktor Gyokeres exit as £63.5m striker is told he is not part of the plan
Arsenal are prepared to move on Viktor Gyokeres if a suitable offer arrives, with the £63.5m striker understood to be open to leaving as early as January. The 28-year-old, under contract until 2030, has made just one Premier League start this season and is not central to Mikel Arteta's plans.
- Player: Viktor Gyokeres, signed for £63.5m from Sporting CP in 2025
- Contract: Runs until 2030
- Status: Arsenal would sell if the right deal lands; player reportedly open to exit
- Timing: Potentially as early as the January transfer window
- Interested parties: Atletico Madrid named, plus clubs in England, Italy and Germany
- Background: Arsenal explored a summer move for Julian Alvarez, who turned them down
The numbers
- £63.5m — fee Arsenal paid Sporting CP for Gyokeres in 2025
- 21 goals and five assists — Gyokeres' record in 65 appearances for Arsenal
- 2030 — year his Arsenal contract expires
- One — Premier League starts made this season
- Two — Champions League starts made this season
- 28 — age of the striker
His overall numbers are respectable rather than spectacular. Gyokeres played a part in last season's Premier League title triumph and the run to the Champions League final, but football runs on what a manager sees now rather than old medals. For a striker signed for £63.5m in his late twenties, one league start is not a footnote — it is a verdict.
Deal details
Arsenal signed Gyokeres from Sporting CP in 2025 for £63.5m, tying him to a deal until 2030. The expectation now is that the club would move him on if the right offer lands, and the player is understood to want more minutes than he is currently getting. No fee has been agreed with any club.
Recovering the full £63.5m appears unlikely, but Arsenal are not short of options. Atletico Madrid have been mentioned as an interested party, while clubs in England, Italy and Germany are also watching the situation. That breadth of interest gives the club room to work even if a loss on the original outlay is inevitable.
The decision rests with Andrea Berta and Mikel Arteta, who will judge the situation on squad planning rather than sentiment. If they believe another forward is arriving, Gyokeres becomes expendable. The arrow points towards a transfer — in January if a deal can be struck, more likely in the summer.
What was said
"Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ. Looks like he's like running in slow motion, doesn't he? Looks like he can't run. Can he hold the ball up? Yes, he can, but he will be one that won't be at the club next season. Yeah, 100%. They would have got rid of him this season if they could have for Alvarez. If Alvarez wanted to come and hadn't turned Arsenal down, they would have said, I would give you Gyokeres and money."
The criticism is brutal, and much of it is theatre. Yet strip away the language and the substance is not new: Arsenal explored a move for Julian Alvarez in the summer, and Alvarez turned them down. Clubs do not chase an elite centre-forward unless they feel the current options fall short of what they need.
That is the framework behind every January rumour. The pundit's claim that Gyokeres is "100%" done at the club is an opinion rather than a fact, but it reflects a widely held reading of the squad. Arteta has been reluctant to start him in the biggest games, and the numbers this season confirm it.
Why Arsenal have already made their call on Gyokeres
Mikel Arteta is building a forward line designed to win the biggest matches consistently, and the evidence suggests Gyokeres is seen as a useful squad option rather than the spearhead. When a manager wants a striker to lead the line, he tends to start him. One Premier League start in a season is the clearest signal available.
The summer pursuit of Julian Alvarez matters because of what it reveals: Arsenal were willing to reshape the front line months after signing Gyokeres. Alvarez turned the move down, which closed that door, but the intent was clear. At the next window, that intent is likely to return in some form, with Andrea Berta tasked with finding a better fit.
On the pitch, the effect is a familiar one. Gyokeres offers hold-up play, as the pundit conceded, but Arsenal's attack demands sharper movement and quicker combinations against low blocks. The 2-0 win over Everton became the latest exhibit. At 28, with minutes available elsewhere, a move suits both sides — and the cleanest solution is a sale.
Talking points
- Is one Premier League start a fair basis for judging a striker, or does Gyokeres deserve a run of consecutive starts before Arsenal cut their losses?
- Should Arsenal sell in January and gamble on a replacement mid-season, or wait until summer when the market is calmer and cheaper?
- If Julian Alvarez turned Arsenal down once, can the club realistically pursue him again — and would it make Gyokeres expendable?
- Is £63.5m an expensive mistake, or a reasonable fee for a squad forward who contributed to a title win?
What happens next
Arsenal's squad planning now becomes the deciding factor. If a suitable offer arrives in January — from Atletico Madrid or one of the watching clubs in England, Italy or Germany — the club will consider it. If no acceptable deal materialises, the summer window becomes the more likely exit route. Either way, Gyokeres' role between now and the next window is the clearest indicator of how quickly this ends.
Frequently asked questions
Will Arsenal sell Viktor Gyokeres?
Arsenal would move Gyokeres on if the right deal lands, according to the reports, and the striker is open to leaving. No agreement has been reached with any club.
When could Viktor Gyokeres leave Arsenal?
Potentially as early as the January transfer window, with the summer a more straightforward option if no deal is struck in mid-season.
How much did Arsenal pay for Viktor Gyokeres?
Arsenal signed Gyokeres from Sporting CP in 2025 for £63.5m, on a contract running until 2030, and he has scored 21 goals with five assists in 65 appearances.
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