Viktor Gyokeres 'worries' for Arsenal highlighted following Liverpool's Florian Wirtz deal

Arsenal may well be "worried" about whether Viktor Gyokeres is the right fit, as Troy Deeney has openly questioned the protracted nature of the transfer saga. The Gunners have been courting the Sporting CP ace since last summer, with their interest in the Swedish striker well-documented.

Despite being tipped to secure the 27-year-old's services, Arsenal and Sporting CP are at a stalemate over the transfer fee. The Portuguese outfit are demanding £60.3million (€70m) plus an additional £8m (€10m) in add-ons for their star player. Although the transfer fee remains unresolved, it's understood that Arsenal and Gyokeres have settled on personal terms for a five-year deal, which would mark the striker's return to English football after his stint with Coventry City ended in 2023.

The drawn-out pursuit of Gyokeres has led former Watford skipper Deeney to suggest on talkSPORT's Kick Off show that Arsenal may have doubts: "I don't think they're sold on Gyokeres. I really don't." Deeney contrasted Arsenal's cautious chase of Gyokeres with Liverpool's swift capture of Florian Wirtz in a record-breaking British transfer worth up to £116m.

He insinuated that if Mikel Arteta and Arsenal were truly convinced of Gyokeres' potential to solve their attacking woes, the deal would have been finalised by now, reports the Mirror. "Because you'd just go and get him, you get it done [if Arsenal were really keen]," Deeney added.

"The same way that Liverpool did with Wirtz, [they] just went: 'Bang, go and get him, get it finished.' I think they're worried that he's not, not only the short-term answer, but not the long-term answer."

Arsenal supporters have been clamouring for a new striker, having witnessed Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz take turns leading the line without cementing their roles. Benjamin Sesko was firmly on their radar as well, yet negotiations with RB Leipzig hit a dead end too.

Deeney suggested: "This is my opinion - I think Arteta is a little bit stubborn at this moment in time because everyone's been calling for it [to sign a striker]. If he does that and then wins it [the Premier League], it's going to be like: 'Oh, we told you that.'

"It's not going to be his thing. There's a little element of stubbornness and [a feeling of]: 'We could do it our way'. I find it interesting that we're seeing more talk with Madueke - that looks like it's closer to being done than the strikers."

As Arsenal's discussions with Sporting reach an impasse, Record reports that Gyokeres may pursue a loan move late in the transfer window if his switch to the Gunners falls through.

The forward is resolute in his decision not to play for Sporting again, and if a deal with Arsenal doesn't come to fruition, Gyokeres might consider a temporary move to another European club this summer.