Arsenal have made a determined move in the transfer market with a clear objective: to add a guaranteed centre-forward who can raise the level of the team next season. Mikel Arteta wants the club to take that definitive step that will allow them to compete with more weight in the Premier League and in Europe.

With a consolidated squad and a recognisable style, the lack of a dominant “nine” has been felt at key moments. That is why Viktor Gyökeres’ name has long been identified as a priority target. However, the operation has started to become more complicated than expected.

Arsenal are looking for alternatives to the most wanted striker

According to information published by Record and picked up by SportWitness, the negotiations between Arsenal and Sporting Clube de Portugal have become less fluid. Although the Swedish striker is totally willing to join Arteta’s project, and even the personal terms are practically closed, the big problem is focused on the financial demands of the Portuguese club. The offer presented by the Londoners – 55 million euros fixed plus another 10 million euros in variables – was rejected. Lisbon have no intention of giving in, and in London they are already preparing to take another path.

Opinion:

At this point, the best decision Arsenal can make is to stop, take a breath and evaluate. Insistence can convey conviction, but it can also end up wasting resources and time. Sporting’s asking price of close to €70m is a figure that forces one to think beyond impulse. Gyökeres is an impact striker, yes, but he is not the only one with that ability. Benjamin Sesko, for example, combines youth with promise, while Ollie Watkins has already shown consistency in the Premiership. Both could fit Arteta’s system without completely upsetting the club’s financial equilibrium.

Persisting with Sporting could mean months of tug-of-war with no clear end in sight. The player wants to go to Arsenal, yes, but if his club refuses to budge, there is little room for manoeuvre. And if the player’s entourage has already made it clear that he has no plans to go to Manchester United, the options for pressure are also reduced. Arteta needs solutions, not traffic jams. That’s why looking at other profiles can open up quicker and more sustainable paths.

Is Gyökeres worth the 70 million? It is debatable. His record of 125 goal contributions in 102 games for Sporting is impressive, but the Premier League demands a different level. There is no guarantee he will repeat that level immediately. Investing that amount could mortgage other areas of the team or reduce room for manoeuvre if things don’t go as expected. Arsenal are at a point where every decision counts to get closer to the title. They cannot afford high-cost signings who do not perform from day one.

Moving on to other alternatives does not have to be read as a defeat. Sometimes, knowing how to let go is also part of moving forward intelligently. And if Watkins or Sesko end up performing at the level expected, the narrative will change quickly.