rewrite this title Arsenal: Berta set to table bid for “top player” after £202m transfer boost

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is preparing to table an official bid for one “top” and “underrated” player, which is expected to arrive before the end of this 2024/2025 campaign.

Arsenal plan for summer window amid Champions League campaign

Mikel Arteta and his squad are fresh off the back of a stunning 3-0 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League earlier this week, courtesy of two sublime free-kicks from Declan Rice and a fantastic Mikel Merino finish.

The historic night in north London gifts Arsenal real hope they could go on to become favourites for their first ever Champions League title, but first they must finish off the 15-time champions of Europe on away turf.

The three-goal cushion hands Arteta’s side major breathing room, but Real have shown a tendency to mount dramatic comebacks in Europe over the years, so you can never discount Los Blancos and Arsenal will need to put in another rip-roaring display.

The semi-finals are within touching distance, and if they go on to win the competition, this campaign would be seen as a major success despite their failed Premier League title challenge, so there is still everything for Arsenal to play for.

That being said, Arteta will be desperate for his team to put in a much more successful shift for the league next season, as Arsenal look to end their two-decade-long-plus wait for a domestic crown.

When it comes to this, Berta’s influence will be crucial, and the transfer chief is said to already have big plans to reinforce the squad this summer.

Arsenal could make up to seven major signings across the squad, as per GiveMeSport, and one of Berta’s key aims is to bring in a prolific striker.

RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko, Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, Ipswich Town ace Liam Delap and Sporting CP marksman Viktor Gyokeres have all been repeatedly linked, but it is the latter who appears to be gaining most traction.

There are even murmurs that Arsenal are ready to hand Gyokeres a £192,000-per-week contract to join them, while the reliable David Ornstein has claimed the Gunners are growing more and more keen on the Swede.

Andrea Berta preparing Arsenal bid for Viktor Gyokeres

According to an update from Portugal, courtesy of A Bola, club-to-club talks could begin pretty soon as well.

They report that Arsenal are “already” preparing a bid for Gyokeres, which will land before the end of 2024/2025, and Arteta’s side are currently the most “serious candidates” for his signing in England, ahead of Man City and Liverpool.

Given the presence of Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG and Bayern Munich in the race for his signature, Sporting are convinced that there will be an auction, which could inflate his final price to near his release clause of £87 million – despite his starting price of £61 million.

Gyokeres, for his part, is “attracted” by the Arsenal project and is keen on joining. Berta will also have £202 million to splash on three big-name signings this summer, including the Sporting star, Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams and Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

Called a “top player” by Arsenal keeper David Raya, there are those who believe Gyokeres is also “massively underrated”, which is a pretty understandable verdict considering he’s yet to secure a big move despite his ridiculous profiency abroad.

Echoing last season’s heroics, the 26-year-old boasts 44 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions, with another 11 assists to boot. Surely now is the time for clubs to take the plunge.