LATEST UPDATE: Victor Gyokeres has been seen in London today as he prepares to sign a five-year contract with Arsenal. This comes after the collapse of the Benjamin Šeško deal, with a full agreement now in place for Gyokeres’ transfer to be finalized before the day ends.

Breaking developments suggest that Victor Gyokeres has arrived in London to finalize a five-year deal with Arsenal after negotiations for Benjamin Šeško collapsed.

The Gunners had made signing a prolific centre-forward a top priority for this summer following consistent calls from supporters, pundits, and former players to strengthen their attack — an issue that proved costly during the 2024/25 campaign.

Arsenal have actively been pursuing a couple of high-profile striker targets, with Benjamin Šeško initially seen as the frontrunner.

Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg had previously expressed confidence that Šeško would be wearing Arsenal colors next season, reporting ongoing discussions and mutual interest.

However, complications soon arose when two Saudi Arabian clubs expressed interest in Šeško. Despite his preference to remain in Europe, contract talks with Arsenal hit a snag.

TBR Football revealed concerns within Šeško’s camp as RB Leipzig remained firm on their valuation. The Slovenian striker’s representatives, believing they’d secured a move for less than €70 million (£59 million), were frustrated to see Leipzig demand a total package of €80 million (£67 million), stalling negotiations.

With the Šeško deal faltering, Arsenal turned their attention back to long-time target Victor Gyokeres. According to Fabrizio Romano, Gyokeres remains a priority option should Arsenal fail to land Šeško, with Manchester United also expressing renewed interest over the weekend.

Portuguese outlet A Bola reported that Gyokeres’ agent met Arsenal officials on Wednesday to discuss the club’s proposal terms, signaling growing momentum in the deal.

Arsenal have reportedly advanced talks and are preparing to submit an official bid to Sporting CP, expected to be the first formal offer from any club. Sporting president Frederico Varandas is holding firm on a valuation of around €70 million, but Arsenal are prepared to offer a structured package of €60 million plus €10 million in add-ons to reach an agreement. The club is eager to resolve the striker situation quickly and move into direct negotiations.

Former Arsenal striker Paul Dickov weighed in, acknowledging Šeško’s qualities as a classic No. 9 with strong Bundesliga and Champions League credentials, but emphasized how difficult it is to secure a top striker. He stressed that whoever Arsenal signs — be it Šeško, Gyokeres, Alvarez, or Osimhen — must deliver immediately under intense Premier League scrutiny.