Arsenal confident of completing triple transfer swoop

10 hours ago 1

Arsenal are looking to wrap up three key signings in the coming weeks as Mikel Arteta’s side continue their summer rebuild, Sporting News understands.

A deal worth £50million ($64.5m) has already been agreed for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke, who is set to undergo a medical on Monday.

The England international will bolster Arsenal's attacking options and provide competition on the flanks.

Mikel Arteta's side are also in advanced talks with Valencia over centre-back Cristhian Mosquera. A fee is close to being agreed for the 21-year-old, who is seen as a long-term defensive prospect with potential to compete with Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba.

Last season, Mosquera played every minute in 37 of Valencia’s 38 La Liga matches, an impressive feat that has not gone unnoticed outside Spain.

Negotiations over Viktor Gyökeres are proving far more complicated. Arsenal submitted an opening bid of €60m plus €10m in add-ons (around $75m total), but Sporting CP rejected the proposal outright. The Portuguese club are holding out for €70m ($76m) up front.

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Gyokeres, as first reported by Sporting News, did not report for Sporting’s pre-season training camp on Saturday, a clear indication of his desire to force a move to north London.

Sporting president Frederico Varandas made his position clear in an interview with Portuguese news agency Lusa:

"We're calm. Everything will be resolved with the closing of the market, a heavy fine, and an apology to the group.

"If they [Arsenal] don't want to pay fair market value for Viktor [Gyokeres], we are very comfortable with that for the next three years.

"If the geniuses [agents] who are devising this strategy think that this puts pressure on me to facilitate the exit, they are not only completely wrong but are also making the player's exit even more complicated.

"No one is above the club's interests, whoever they may be."

The legal consequences of Gyokeres' absence were outlined by sports lawyer Joao Caido Guerreiro, who also spoke to A Bola:

"Skipping training without a valid reason breaks the rules. If a player does it five times, the club can legally fire him.

"But Gyokeres already said he wants to join Arsenal, that limits what counts as a 'justification'. Sporting could fine him, and if it continues, even terminate his contract.

"That’s exactly what Gyokeres wants. But for Sporting, it would be a disaster – a €65m ($70.7m) asset becomes worthless.

"So while the law is clear, football is more than legalities. There are strong reasons for both sides to reach a deal."

Meanwhile, Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson is in talks to leave the club, while Oleksandr Zinchenko has also been told his game time is likely to be limited this season.

Sporting director Andrea Berta is working on securing the departures of several first team fringe players as he looks to balance the squad with the arrivals of new players this summer.

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