BREAKING NEWS: I didn’t just lower my salary to join Arsenal willingly it was this particular Arsenal player that inspired me to Join,I wanted turning down their proposal but I could imagine myself playing with Him one day”, Victor Gyokeres finally reveals the ONE Arsenal player that inspired Him to join Gunners as deal nears completion
BREAKING NEWS: I didn’t just lower my salary to join Arsenal willingly it was this particular Arsenal player that inspired me to Join,I wanted turning down their proposal but I could imagine myself playing with Him one day”, Victor Gyokeres finally reveals the ONE Arsenal player that inspired Him to join Gunners as deal nears completion
Viktor Gyokeres is Arsenal’s top striker target this summer.
The Gunners have been in need of a prolific centre-forward for several years now, and it is very likely that they will sign one in this window.
TBR Football exclusively revealed that Gyokeres is hoping to complete his switch to Arsenal next week, just before the North Londoners jet off for their tour of Asia.
Now, the Sporting CP star has expressed his admiration for three Arsenal stars.
Viktor Gyokeres delivers verdict on Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are filled with top-quality players.
The Spaniard has built a very impressive squad over the years, and his players have produced some magical moments in the Premier League and in Europe.
Bukayo Saka is Arsenal’s biggest star, and Viktor Gyokeres has admitted that the Gunners’ number seven has impressed him.
However, there are two other Arsenal players who have caught the Swede’s eye after he went toe-to-toe with them during a game last season — William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.
In an interview with L’Equipe, when asked if any players had impressed him, Gyokeres said: “Yes, definitely. Especially at English clubs.
“Midfielders like Bernardo Silva, [Mateo] Kovacic at Manchester City or Saka at Arsenal are impressive to watch.
“I’ve also faced very high-level defenders, like Gabriel and Saliba. It’s a chance to play against those kinds of players.”
What happened when Viktor Gyokeres faced William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes?
Gyokeres was on fire in the games leading up to the clash against Arsenal.
The Swede had scored a stunning hat-trick against Manchester City in the previous Champions League game and looked excellent.
When he faced Arsenal, however, he ended up losing 5-1 and failed to get on the score sheet.
That being said, Gyokeres gave Saliba and Gabriel a tough time and ended up getting off five shots at goal — two on target and three off it. He even hit the post once.
But, Gyokeres won just three of his 12 attempted duels (Sofascore), which just shows how dominant Arsenal’s two defenders were against him.
That is probably why he rates Saliba and Gabriel so highly.
There’s **no evidence** Viktor Gyökeres has said he joined Arsenal because of a specific player, nor that he “lowered his salary willingly” due to such inspiration. Here’s what **verified reporting confirms**:
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## ✅ What’s Reliable on Gyökeres to Arsenal:
1. **Negotiations are well advanced**:
* He’s agreed personal terms: a five-year contract worth around **£200k per week**, placing him among Arsenal’s top earners ([Talksport][1], [The Week][2]).
* He’s waived **€2 million in wages** to help Arsenal complete the deal ([Yahoo Sports][3]).
2. **Sporting are open to dialogue**:
* They’re discussing a fee in the range of **€65–70 million + €15 million add-ons**, and Gyökeres has refused to return to pre-season ([The Guardian][4]).
3. **He’s publicly praised Arsenal talents**:
* In an L’Equipe interview, he said Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, and Gabriel Magalhães impressed him in clashes, which shows respect—not personal inspiration to join ([TBR Football][5]).
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## ⚠️ What’s Unsubstantiated or False:
* No sources report Gyökeres specifically citing **one Arsenal player** as the reason he joined.
* He hasn’t said he “wanted to turn down their proposal” until thinking about playing with them.
* These dramatic quotes are **not found in any interview, press conference, or social media**.
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### 🧭 Bottom Line:
* ✅ **True**: Gyökeres is close to joining Arsenal, with contract terms and fee nearly settled.
* ❌ **False**: Any claim he was inspired by one player isn’t supported—such details are **speculation or embellishment**.
Would you like me to track any legitimate quotes from Gyökeres when the transfer is officially announced?
[1]: https://talksport.com/football/3359687/transfer-news-mitoma-gyokeres-arsenal-wages-leoni-liverpool-tottenham/?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Transfer notebook: Mitoma shuns Champions League interest, Gyokeres’ Arsenal wages revealed, Tottenham in battle to sign defender”[2]: https://www.theweek.in/news/sports/2025/07/09/football-news-viktor-gyokeres-arsenal-salary-how-much-money-will-striker-make-in-england-as-new-signing-s-wages-to-beat-bukayo-saka-s.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Viktor Gyokeres Arsenal salary revealed: How much money will striker …”
[3]: https://sports.yahoo.com/article/gyokeres-gives-salary-sum-aid-081500634.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Gyokeres gives up salary sum to aid Arsenal transfer”
[4]: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jul/12/viktor-gyokeres-fails-report-sporting-training-arsenal?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Viktor Gyökeres fails to report for Sporting training as he targets Arsenal move”
[5]: https://tbrfootball.com/forget-bukayo-saka-viktor-gyokeres-says-hes-seen-two-other-stars-at-arsenal-who-are-very-high-level/?utm_source=chatgpt.com “Forget Bukayo Saka, Viktor Gyokeres says he’s seen two other stars at Arsenal who are ‘very high level’”
