Arsenal now preparing bid for £68m star, Mikel Arteta wants him before pre-season tour

Arsenal are already making significant progress behind the scenes when it comes to landing their top transfer targets this summer.

New Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is working tirelessly behind the scenes to find the right striker, the optimum left winger and so on.

Of course, Arsenal have already signed Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, but there’s a lot of work to be done before Mikel Arteta’s side can genuinely compete for the Premier League title.

Kai Havertz is capable of leading a title challenge but he’ll certainly need help, and Arsenal seem to have decided that his new partner will either be Viktor Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko.

Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins is also in the mix, but the England international is seen as the third-choice back-up, partly because he’s nearly 30 years old.

Arsenal ready to make another offer to sign Viktor Gyokeres

That being said, reports emerging from Portugal would now suggest that Gyokeres is emerging as Arsenal’s leading contender to join Havertz next season.

Correio da Manha are now reporting that Arsenal are preparing to make another offer to sign Gyokeres from Sporting CP.

Photo by Pedro Loureiro/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

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It was reported in Portugal just over a week ago that Arsenal had made an opening offer for Gyokeres, and it seems as if the Gunners will return with an improved proposal.

Interestingly, the new report also details that Arteta wants to have Gyokeres on board in time for Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Asia.

Arsenal travel to Singapore late next month in order to play AC Milan and Newcastle United, and it should be a given that the likes of Zubimendi are involved.

However, Gyokeres could now join the Spaniard in Arsenal’s travelling party if reports are to be believed.

In terms of Gyokeres’ valuation, TBR Football previously revealed that Sporting could hold out for £68m this summer.

Arsenal need to learn from their Raheem Sterling mistake

The summer before last when Arsenal signed Havertz, Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice, all three travelled on the club’s pre-season tour to the United States.

Edu Gaspar and Arteta got business done early and that was invaluable for all three players mentioned to have time to settle and gel ahead of the new season.

And given that Arsenal will make several significant signings this summer, it would be a good idea to repeat that trick.

Arsenal are interested in Rodrygo from Real Madrid right now, a saga which might stretch long into the summer given that the Brazilian is at the Club World Cup.

But otherwise there shouldn’t be any reason why Berta can’t oversee the majority of Arsenal’s business before the end of next month.

Arsenal don’t regret their last-minute Raheem Sterling deal last summer, but it’s certainly a situation the club should avoid a repeat of.

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