"The conversations are continuing" - Fabrizio Romano details reasons for delay in Arsenal's transfer of Victor Gyokeres

Arsenal and Sporting CP are reportedly battling over €7 million of the add-on fee in Viktor Gyokeres' transfer. The Gunners had agreed a €80 million deal with the Portuguese side, but negotiations over the clauses for the fee after the guaranteed €63.5 million continue.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal want to pay €3 million of the add-ons after easy-to-achieve clauses, with the rest being more challenging. However, Sporting CP are not interested in the €7 million fee hanging in the balance, and want it added to the easy clauses.

Romano was on his YouTube channel when he said (via AFCStuff):

"On Viktor Gyokeres, the conversations are continuing in London. There are add-ons to clarify — Arsenal only want to pay €3m guaranteed add-ons plus €7m more complicated, Sporting want €10m in easy add-ons. Arsenal remain confident & optimistic."

Gyokeres is yet to return for pre-season training, and the Portuguese side's president has already threatened him with a heavy fine. Frederico Varandas said that they were calm about the situation as the striker had three more seasons left on his contract and said:

"We're calm. Everything can be solved with the closure of the market, a heavy fine and an apology to the group. If they [club's interested] don't want to pay Viktor's fair market value, we'll be very comfortable with that for the next three years." "If the geniuses who are devising this strategy think that this puts pressure on me to make it easier for him to leave, not only are they completely wrong, but they are also making it more complicated for the player to leave. No one is above the interests of the club. Whoever they are."

The Gunners are keen on completing the deal as they aim to add a striker this summer. Gyokeres was in red-hot form last season, scoring 54 goals in 52 matches in all competitions for Sporting CP.

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Viktor Gyokeres not the final piece for Arsenal's title challenge, claims Paul Parker

Paul Parker was talking to Gameshub this month when he claimed that Viktor Gyokeres was not going to help Arsenal win the Premier League title. He believes that the striker is good, but not enough to take them to the top, and said:

"I don't currently think Viktor Gyokeres will be the final piece of the puzzle for Arsėnal in their pursuit for the Premier League title, because Arteta plays a very negative style; everything is 'defence first'. Is a centre forward going to make a difference? Gyokeres is a strong, young player, which will increase Arsėnal's threat from set-pieces, but to win titles, you have to be brave. Arsėnal haven't been brave since Arsene Wenger, when they had great physicality and technique."

Apart from Gyokeres, Mikel Arteta's side have added Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Noni Madueke. They have reportedly also agreed a deal for Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia.

Edited by Aditya Singh