FINALLY DONE: The player has already accepted Chelsea’s offer, and the agreement is expected to be finalized today, with a medical examination scheduled for tomorrow. The jersey number has been confirmed – welcome to Stamford Bridge.
According to Fabrizio Romano’s daily briefing:
Chelsea has re-entered the competition to sign Victor Gyokeres, surpassing Arsenal, who have been monitoring him for some time. Reports suggest that Chelsea’s manager is prepared to activate the £45 million release clause in Gyokeres’ current contract.
Both Arsenal and Chelsea intended to make offers before Gyokeres committed to a new contract extending until 2029. Chelsea, eager to find a replacement for Nicolas Jackson, hopes for another successful transfer this summer.
Arsenal is currently leading the race for the Swedish international, but the situation has shifted after Chelsea completed a deal with Califori earlier this week, despite their ongoing wage and financial challenges.
Chelsea remains optimistic about finalizing the deal before Arsenal, as Enzo Maresca has identified Gyokeres as a promising talent who could enhance the squad following his standout performance last season.
Mike Arteta is also exploring the market to strengthen his team, having decided to pursue Eddie Nketiah. According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal plans to test Sporting Lisbon with an offer between £55 million and £60 million for Gyokeres.
Sporting Lisbon, however, is confident they can ignite a bidding war and continue to demand the full £86 million release clause for the Swedish international.
With Gyokeres scoring an impressive 43 goals in 50 appearances last season, Sporting’s confidence is justified.
Chelsea and Atletico Madrid are keeping an eye on the 26-year-old’s status, while Liverpool has shown long-term interest, though they are unlikely to bid at this point in the transfer window.
Chelsea has identified alternative targets, closely monitoring players like Ajax’s Brian Brobbey and Lille’s Jonathan David.