Arsenal to open talks with England forward with Nigerian-Igbo roots after Gyökeres deal

English Premier League giants Arsenal are moving closer to completing the deal for Sporting Lisbon attacker Viktor Gyökeres

Arsenal are preparing to step up their pursuit of England international Eberechi Eze, who has Nigerian-Igbo heritage, after moving closer to finalising a deal for Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyökeres, Soccernet.ng reports.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners have made significant progress in negotiations with Sporting CP for Gyökeres, with only final steps remaining to complete the transfer.

Discussions over the weekend helped define the deal structure, with a five-year contract lined up for the 27-year-old Sweden international, as also reported by David Ornstein.

With the Gyökeres deal almost done, Arsenal’s focus is now shifting towards signing an attacking midfielder, and Eze is top of their list.

Romano confirmed that talks for the Crystal Palace star are set to continue this week, with Arsenal preparing a formal approach to Palace in the coming days.

❤️Arsenal’s focus after completing the Viktor Gyökeres deal will shift to signing an attacking midfielder.

Talks for Eberechi Eze are set to continue this week, with #AFC preparing a formal approach to Crystal Palace.

Arsenal want to explore if a deal can be done without… pic.twitter.com/baA2tCKBAO

— Fabrizio Ramono (@FIabrizoRomano) July 14, 2025

The 27-year-old, who was born in London to Nigerian-Igbo parents, has been a key figure for Crystal Palace in recent seasons, with his eye for goal drawing attention from several top clubs.

Arsenal, however, are looking to explore whether a deal can be agreed upon without activating Eze’s reported £60–68 million release clause.

The Gunners are keen to strengthen their midfield options following last season’s campaign, with Mikel Arteta targeting players capable of adding flair in the final third.

Crystal Palace are expected to hold firm on their valuation, but sources suggest Arsenal may consider a player-plus-cash offer to tempt the Eagles into selling. Names like Reiss Nelson, Fabio Vieira, or Leandro Trossard have been floated as possible makeweights.

With Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich also showing interest in Eze, Arsenal will be eager to wrap up discussions quickly and avoid a transfer battle.

Meanwhile, for now, the Gunners’ immediate priority remains finalising Gyökeres’ signing before turning their full attention to Eze.