Arsenal to pay Sporting extra £1m as first Viktor Gyokeres transfer add-on triggered

Arsenal signed Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP during the summer transfer window for an initial £55million (€63.5m) plus around £8.6m (€10m) in add-ons

Sporting CP are poised to receive an extra £1.08million (€1.25m) from Arsenal for Viktor Gyokeres after one of the add-ons negotiated within the deal was triggered.

The Swede, who was at the centre of a gruelling summer transfer saga which eventually saw him swap Lisbon for London, has mustered seven goals in all competitions thus far for the Gunners.

While Gyokeres has already made 23 appearances in all competitions ahead of Thursday’s Premier League clash against Liverpool, the dramatic 3-2 triumph at Bournemouth on Saturday was the 20th match where he’s played 45 minutes or more.

As per the initial transfer agreement that was reached between Arsenal and Sporting, the Gunners have to pay their Portuguese counterparts around £1.08m (€1.25m) every time Gyokeres makes 20 appearances where he features for 45 minutes or more.

These payments are believed to be capped at around £4.3m (€5m) so won’t continue forever.

Additionally, Arsenal have 18 league matches left to fulfil plus at least two League Cup semi-finals, an FA Cup third-round clash at Portsmouth and two final Champions League group phase fixtures before they advance into the knockout stages.

Therefore, there’s a firm chance Gyokeres could rack up 40 appearances in all competitions (where he plays 45 minutes or more) this season, providing he stays fit.

Sporting will also receive in the region of £430,000 (€500,000) when Gyokeres reaches 20 goal contributions and that too, is capped at £870,000 (€1m).

The 27-year-old, who won The Gerd Muller Trophy at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in late September, has seven goal involvements (all goals, no assists) to his name thus far.

Finally, every time Arsenal qualify for the Champions League league phase while Gyokeres is still at the club, they will have to send Sporting £870,000 (€1m) and that is capped at a limit of £3.4m (€4m).

Given the Gunners are flying high at the top of the Premier League table, Champions League qualification for next season appears a formality.

Mikel Arteta is hopeful Gyokeres can grab the goals to fire Arsenal to glory and he’s continued to back the Sweden international as his first-choice No.9 despite his patchy form.

Speaking in a recent interview with Sky Sports, Arteta defended his centre-forward and conceded that criticism is part and parcel of playing for a club the size and stature of Arsenal.

Arteta said: “I don’t know, but he’s going to continue to have a lot of noise around him for the next five years. I’m sure about that.

“Since day one, you sign as a number nine for Arsenal with the background that he has and the expectation that we have as a team.

“That’s not going away. That’s part of his role and that’s part of life of being Arsenal number nine and that’s it.”