The 27-year-old striker has signed a five-year contract with the Premier League club and will wear the No. 14 shirt at the Emirates. Arsenal had been in extended negotiations with Sporting over the structure of the transfer, with sources confirming to ESPN that the delay stemmed from disagreements over bonus clauses tied to individual and team performance.
Manager Mikel Arteta welcomed the addition of Gyokeres, highlighting the striker's goalscoring pedigree and all-round attributes.
"The consistency he has shown in his performances and availability have been outstanding, and his goal contributions speak for themselves," said Arteta. "He brings a clinical edge with a high conversion rate of chances into goals, with his intelligent movement in the box making him a constant threat."
Arsenal had long been linked with a move for a proven No. 9 to spearhead their attack, and Gyokeres arrives following an exceptional campaign with Sporting, where he scored 54 goals in all competitions - the highest by any player at a top-flight club in Europe last season. He found the net 39 times in the Portuguese league alone and registered a remarkable 28.1 percent shot conversion rate in 2023–24, compared to Arsenal's collective 16.5 percent among forwards in the Premier League.
Gyokeres joined Sporting from Coventry City in 2023 and quickly emerged as one of Europe's most prolific forwards. His form attracted attention from several top clubs, including Manchester United and teams in the Saudi Pro League, but Arsenal ultimately secured his signature as they aim to strengthen ahead of another title push.
Sporting director Andrea Berta praised the deal, calling the Swedish forward "an exceptional talent" with the mentality to thrive in north London.
"His physicality, intelligence and work ethic make him a perfect fit for our vision," Berta said. "We are confident Viktor will have a major impact on the pitch and become an important figure in our dressing room."
Gyokeres' arrival adds much-needed depth to Arsenal's attack, which struggled with injuries last season. Kai Havertz, often deployed as a central forward, missed parts of the campaign and was the only senior striker named in Arteta's preseason squad. The Gunners finished second in the Premier League for the third consecutive season, narrowly missing out on the title to Manchester City once again.
Arteta is expected to integrate Gyokeres quickly, with the club currently on tour in Asia. Arsenal face Newcastle United in Singapore on Sunday before traveling to Hong Kong for a high-profile friendly against rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
With Gyokeres on board, Arsenal hope they have found the cutting edge required to convert near-misses into major honours.
Joao Felix looks poised to become the latest high-profile name to join the Saudi Pro League, with Al-Nassr nearing a 44 million pounds agreement to sign the Portuguese forward from Chelsea.
Leeds United have added further steel between the sticks with the signing of Brazilian goalkeeper Lucas Perri from Lyon, marking their seventh addition of a busy transfer window.
Yoane Wissa's future at Brentford has been thrown into doubt after the forward reportedly threatened not to play for the club again if he is denied a move to Newcastle.
Morgan Gibbs-White has signed a new three-year contract with Nottingham Forest, ending speculation over his future and reaffirming his commitment to the club amid reported interest from Tottenham.
