The destination of Viktor Gyökeres (27, Sporting CP), who was highly likely to transfer to Manchester United, has changed to Arsenal.

On the 31st (Korea time), the global outlet The Athletic reported that Arsenal, which hired Andrea Bertar as the new sports director, is expected to target Swedish striker Gyökeres in this summer's transfer market.

Gyökeres is the hottest striker in Europe this season. He has recorded 30 goals (7 assists) in 26 league matches this season, totaling 42 goals (11 assists) in 42 matches. He is making significant contributions to leading Sporting to the top of the league for the second consecutive season.

Arsenal, led by coach Mikel Arteta, has made acquiring a forward a top priority this summer. With Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus both ruled out for the season, Arsenal is struggling with the absence of a striker. Midfielder Mikel Merino has also played up front.

Arsenal tried to loan Ollie Watkins (30) or Álvaro Morata (33) during the winter transfer window. However, Watkins remained at Aston Villa, and Morata, who was with AC Milan, opted for a loan to Galatasaray.

Initially, Arsenal showed more interest in Alexander Isak (26, Newcastle United) or Benjamin Šeško (22, RB Leipzig) than in Gyökeres.

However, with Bertar, who is recognized for his scouting ability, taking on the role of sports director, the target has been revised. Bertar, who joined Atlético Madrid in 2013, has been praised for bringing in many promising players and harnessing their potential during his tenure as sports director and Director General.

Arsenal believes that the confirmation of Bertar as sports director on the 30th can also provide momentum for acquiring Gyökeres. It has been reported that Gyökeres has consistently attracted Bertar's interest.

Originally, Gyökeres seemed likely to move to Manchester United. The transfer rumors for Gyökeres followed naturally as Ruben Amorim, the coach of Sporting CP, transferred to Manchester United.

Gyökeres is under contract with Sporting until the summer of 2028. His market value is €75 million (approximately 119.5 billion won), but there is a buyout clause worth €100 million (approximately 159.4 billion won). This is one reason why the transfer is unlikely to be decided easily.

Additionally, there is uncertainty about Gyökeres's success in the Premier League. Gyökeres played for Coventry during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons, scoring 17 and 21 goals respectively, marking his presence on the English stage.

However, the stage where Gyökeres played was solely the Championship (second division). He still lacks experience in the Premier League. His performance in Portugal's Primeira Liga may not serve as a benchmark for success on the English stage.

In fact, when considering examples like Carlos Vinícius, Islam Slimani, and Darwin Núñez, he is likely to encounter difficulties. Vinícius transferred from Benfica to Tottenham, Slimani from Sporting to Leicester City, and Núñez from Benfica to Liverpool, but all had unremarkable performances.

At least, Gyökeres has instilled confidence that he can perform well in the Premier League by scoring a hat trick when he led Manchester City (Man City) to a 4-1 victory in a UEFA Champions League home match last November.

Unlike Erling Haaland (Man City) and Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Gyökeres is a "late-blooming star." The media highlighted that "Gyökeres is not fast but fairly quick, and while his skills are good, he is not particularly a technical player," emphasizing that his strengths lie in his unwavering passion to improve the game and his determination to score.

Which club will win the race for Gyökeres, who could become the hottest signing this summer? Arsenal could challenge the previously favored Manchester United. Furthermore, if Manchester United misses out on the UEFA Europa League title, Gyökeres's chances with Arsenal may increase comparatively.

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