“The Gunners tried to sign Watkins in January Chisanga Malata, Senior Digital & Print Combat Sports Reporter Published: 11:20, 15 Jun 2025 Updated: 12:03, 15 Jun 2025 ARSENAL have put their pursuit of Viktor Gyokeres on hold and reignited their interest in Ollie Watkins, it’s been claimed. The Gunners held talks with Sporting Lisbon hitman”, — write: www.thesun.co.uk
- Chisanga Malata, Senior Digital & Print Combat Sports Reporter
- Published: 11:20, 15 Jun 2025
- Updated: 12:03, 15 Jun 2025
The Gunners held talks with Sporting Lisbon hitman Gyokeres’ agent over a summer move to the Emirates earlier this week.
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Arsenal have reportedly shelved their interest in signing Viktor GyokeresCredit: GETTY
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The Gunners are said to have put a move for Gyokeres on hold due to Sporting’s demandsCredit: AFP
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The north Londoners are now said to be re-examining a move for Aston Villa’s Ollie WatkinsBut according to reports, the north Londoners have temporarily shelved their interest in the super Swede to re-examine a move to Aston Villa’s Watkins.
Portuguese newspaper Record claims the Gunners have put a move for Gyokeres on ice because Sporting won’t reduce their asking price.
That’s despite Gyokeres reportedly snubbing Manchester United by telling his representatives to get him to the Emirates.
Arsenal are said to have had an initial £55million bid for Gyokeres rejected by Sporting, who reportedly want the former Coventry Cityman’s £85m release clause to be met.
It’s claimed last season’s Champions League semi-finalists returned with an improved offer of £60m but also had it knocked back.
The Arsenal brass are said to have grown frustrated with the saga.
So much so that they’re now allegedly exploring the cheaper option of signing Watkins from Villa or Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig.
The Gunners made a last-ditch bid to sign Watkins in January to alleviate their striker woes.
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But their offer was rejected as it fell short of Villa’s £80m valuation of the England international, who was the club’s sole striker following Jhon Duran’s move to Saudi Arabia.
Villa will likely demand a similar fee for the 29-year-old striker.
Signing prolific Leipzig hitman Sesko could end up being a cheaper option so long as they don’t get into a bidding war with German giants Bayern Munich, who are also keen on the Slovenian.
But a bidding war could very well be on the cards as Sesko is on the radar of Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is hoping the arrival of multiple summer reinforcements will help his troops go one better in the Premier League next season.
He said of the transfer window: “It’s going to be a big one and we are very excited about it.
“The way we planned the first five summers, they were going to be very big and they were going to have different objectives.
“In the beginning, there were a lot of players with three, four or five-year contracts.
“So the turnaround of the squad and how you visualise the next five years was very dependent on that.
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“There are certain positions we didn’t expect to have someone like Ethan Nwaneri or Myles Lewis-Skelly contributing to, which has been great.
“The way you start to evolve, you start to master certain things then the changes cannot be that much.
“That’s where we are. The line now is thinner, the margins are smaller.
“But the cost of that, as well, increases. So it goes a little bit in a different direction.
“We want to increase the depth of the squad.
“But as well, we want to increase the quality and the skills we need to go to the next step.
“It’s a big summer for many things because first of all we have to maintain the good foundations that we have and then obviously how can we improve and evolve the team.”