- EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
HITC can confirm that Arsenal scouts were in attendance to check on Viktor Gyokeres last weekend.
The Gunners flew scouts to Lisbon on Saturday to watch the 26-year-old forward in action against Athletic Bilbao.
HITC sources can confirm that a number of clubs were present at the Jose Alvalade, one of which was Arsenal.
Arsenal have already finalised a permanent deal for David Raya and Riccardo Calafiori’s arrival is imminent, but their priority is now a new striker, a right-sided forward and a midfielder.
HITC revealed on Wednesday that Arsenal were keen to watch Gyokeres in action after monitoring him throughout the summer.
The Gunners were tracking the Swedish international for much of last season and they watched in Sporting to confirm that he has fully recovered from a minor knee operation he had towards the end of the last campaign.
Arsenal face competition for Viktor Gyokeres
Arsenal have shown their interest in Viktor Gyokeres by sending club staff to watch him in action, but HITC understands that they are facing competition from Atletico Madrid.
The Spanish giants are also taking a keen interest in Gyokeres having lost out to Roma in their bid to land Girona’s Artem Dovbyk.
HITC can also confirm that Premier League rivals Chelsea and Liverpool are maintaining a watching brief on Gyokeres’s situation as they too keep an eye out for a new striker.
Viktor Gyokeres price tag
After a superb season with Sporting last time out where he scored 43 goals in all competitions, Gyokeres is one of the most wanted strikers in Europe this summer.
He has a release clause of £84million but HITC revealed earlier this month that Sporting Lisbon could accept bids lower than that figure.
There is a belief that Sporting could now accept a deal nearer £60million for the star striker.
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