Arsenal are pushing to sign Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres with talks understood to be at an advanced stage.

There is no club-to-club agreement but there is an apparent willingness from all parties to get a deal done.

Arsenal are thought to be encouraged by the 27-year-old’s desire to join, with personal terms not expected to be a problem.

In a fresh development, Sporting have given Gyokeres permission to delay his return for pre-season.

The Sweden international was due back on Monday – a week after some of his team-mates – but he has now been given until Friday as talks with Arsenal progress.

There is no certainty, however, that he will return at all.

Bringing in a striker has been a primary focus for Arsenal in this transfer window – they have explored conditions for a number of players, including RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

Sky Sports News reported in June that Gyokeres was a Manchester United target after they made an initial approach for him through intermediaries.

Last month, Sporting president Frederico Varandas revealed Gyokeres would not be allowed to leave for £59m (€70m) this summer.

Varandas also disputed the existence of a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with Gyokeres’ agent that would allow him to leave for a fixed fee of £50.8m (€60m) plus £8.4m (€10m) in add-ons.

After joining Sporting from Coventry for around £20m in 2023, Gyokeres has scored 97 goals in 102 matches during his two seasons in Portugal.

Gyokeres scored 54 goals in 52 games in all competitions last campaign, including a hat-trick against Manchester City in the Champions League, as he helped Sporting win the league and the Portuguese Cup.

A move to Arsenal would see Gyokeres return to English football, having joined Brighton in January 2018 before moving to Coventry after loan spells at St Pauli and Swansea.

Gyokeres scored 43 goals for Coventry in his two-and-a-half seasons at the Championship side.

How Gyokeres’ value has soared

Sky Sports’ Nick Wright:

Sporting are expected to make a huge profit on Gyokeres’ anticipated sale.

The 27-year-old, who joined Coventry on loan from Brighton initially before making the move permanent in 2021, has hit new heights since his switch to Portugal, smashing 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting, including 11 in 17 in European competition.

His remarkable scoring exploits have seen him treble in value to £75m in the space of two years, according to the website Transfermarkt, who valued him at less than £1m when he joined Coventry from Brighton in the summer of 2021.

He has proved a late bloomer, but his rapid rise to prominence in recent seasons has put him on the shortlists of some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Gyokeres to become Arsenal’s next summer signing?

Developments around Gyokeres come after Arsenal announced the signing of midfielder Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad in a £51m deal.

The Spain international has signed a five-year contract at the Emirates Stadium after Arsenal agreed the transfer in March, having met his £51m release clause.

Zubimendi became Arsenal’s second signing this summer, joining fellow Spaniard Kepa Arrizabalaga at the club following his £5m move from Chelsea.

Brentford captain Christian Norgaard could follow Zubimendi and Kepa through the Arsenal door after a £15m deal was agreed last month to sign the Bees midfielder.

Arsenal appear to be turning their attentions to bolstering their attack now, with Chelsea expecting an offer from the Gunners for Noni Madueke.

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