Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is informed of the exact costs required to seal Mikel Arteta’s seventh deal of the summer.
£265k-per-week Arsenal star approves exit as club prepare bid after talks
The north Londoners may need to trim their squad.
ByEmilio GalantiniJul 26, 2025
After weeks of advanced talks and a very lengthy transfer saga, the Gunners finally reached a full agreement to sign Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP recently – shaking hands on a deal worth up to £64 million including add-ons.
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
25/26 – summer
£208m
Gyokeres refused to train with Sporting in an attempt to force through a Premier League move, with his agent, Hasan Cetinkaya, even waiving due commission fees to help move the forward’s transfer to Arsenal along.
Gyokeres put pen to paper on a five-year contract and was finally confirmed as Berta’s sixth major signing for Arsenal last weekend, following the Italian’s moves for Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera.
The Sweden international, who bagged 54 goals in all competitions last season on Sporting’s run to a first domestic double in around 20 years, is viewed as perhaps Arsenal’s most crucial new addition of the summer.
Their inability to break down teams in the low block was a reoccurring theme of their struggles last term, with Arteta’s side scoring just 69 Premier League goals and drawing more matches than any other side in the top 10.
Gyokeres’ arrival could be imperative to fixing this issue, and it is perhaps a key reason why Berta and co are targeting Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze after the 27-year-old.
Eze was, by some distance, Palace’s most devastating attacking player in the Premier League season, averaging more shots at goal, key passes and successful take-ons per 90 than any of his teammates (WhoScored).
The England international also scored 14 goals and registered a further 11 assists in all competitions, with Arsenal widely believed to be focusing on Eze as their next top transfer target.
Arsenal given £35 million demand after "initial" Crystal Palace talks
Arsenal are in active discussions with Eze’s representatives, according to reliable media sources like Fabrizio Romano, and The Guardian’s Ed Aarons has now shared another update.
According to his sources, Arsenal have also held “initial talks” with Palace over a deal for Eze, with the south Londoners making crystal clear what it would take to sell their star player.
Palace want £35 million of Eze’s £60 million release clause to be paid in advance and in full. They will allow the rest to be met through instalments, not including bonuses, which could take the clause to around £68 million.
The Eagles have to pay 15 per cent of Eze’s fee to QPR thanks to a previously agreed sell-on clause, perhaps explaining their reluctance to negotiate below Eze’s asking price.
Given Arsenal already have both club captain Martin Odegaard and Ethan Nwaneri for the number 10 role, so it remains to be seen whether they’re willing to pay his full clause after spending north of £200 million already this summer.
Interestingly, there are some suggestions that Arsenal could offer players as makeweights in a deal for Eze to tempt Palace into agreeing a lesser fee.