Barcelona are poised to make an 'imminent' bid for Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres, valued at £80m, according to Spanish publication Sport. The La Liga champions are seeking a forward to replace Ferran Torres, who moved to Paris Saint-Germain for £43m.
Barcelona's primary target is Julian Alvarez, also coveted by Arsenal, but Atletico Madrid are refusing to sell to a direct rival. As a result, Barcelona have turned their attention to Gyokeres, with the report suggesting they will "make movements in the next few hours" to sign the Swedish international.
Gyokeres' mixed debut season
The 28-year-old joined Arsenal last summer in a deal worth up to £64m, ending Mikel Arteta's long search for a prolific No.9. Despite scoring 21 goals in all competitions in his first season, his overall contribution fell short of expectations, and he often went missing in key matches, according to the Mirror.
Speculation about his departure has persisted, with earlier reports indicating Arsenal were open to including Gyokeres in a player-plus-cash offer for Alvarez.
Nwaneri set to leave
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed during Arsenal's 3-0 Community Shield win over Manchester City that a decision has been made for Ethan Nwaneri to leave the club within the next fortnight. Romano posted on X that the club reached this decision weeks ago, allowing the 19-year-old, who was loaned out for the latter half of last season, to depart.
Nwaneri was not on the bench for the Community Shield match and watched from the sidelines with Gabriel Martinelli, another player linked with a move away. Romano has since stated that several clubs, including AC Milan, Galatasaray, and unnamed German teams, have approached Arsenal about a deal. He also said on his YouTube channel that Premier League clubs are expected to join the race.
Arteta's stance
Nwaneri is consulting with his agents and family after an unsuccessful loan spell at Marseille last season. Arteta hinted at the teenager's exit, saying before the Community Shield: "I want him to be at the club but something is in the medium-long term what is best for the player as well. Ethan needs to play football and if he stays here it's because we can guarantee that he can have those minutes."
Arsenal are also looking to sign a versatile defender to cover for the injured William Saliba and a world-class attacker to boost their Champions League hopes after losing on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain in May's final.
