Gyokeres 'wants to leave' Arsenal after one season with Barcelona in daily contact

Viktor Gyokeres is reportedly seeking a move away from Arsenal after a single season at the club, with Spanish outlet Cope claiming the 28-year-old striker ‘wants to leave’ and that his agent is in daily conversations with Barcelona sporting director Deco over a potential transfer.

The report is striking in its timing. Gyokeres arrived at the Emirates as a marquee signing and contributed 21 goals in 56 appearances across all competitions last term — a campaign that ended with Arsenal lifting the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years and reaching the Champions League final. Yet despite those numbers, questions lingered over the quality of his performances in the biggest matches, with manager Mikel Arteta frequently turning to Kai Havertz in high-stakes games, citing the German’s superior hold-up play.

Gyokeres’ record against last season’s top-ten sides was considered patchy, and Arteta has since been linked with a move for Julian Alvarez as a potential attacking reinforcement — a signal that the Swede may not be considered untouchable.

However, the picture is complicated by Gyokeres’ own recent words. Speaking to Fotbollskanalen earlier this summer, he said: “Of course it’s flattering to see that clubs are interested, but I feel extremely comfortable at Arsenal. After the season we have had, I only have positive feelings.”

FourFourTwo also understands that Gyokeres is not among the players Arsenal are most eager to move on before the transfer window closes, with fellow forward Gabriel Jesus also attracting interest from Barcelona. That suggests the club does not view his departure as imminent or straightforward.

Deco’s reported lack of immediate interest in the player adds another layer of uncertainty to the story. While the agent-level dialogue appears real, a concrete offer from the Catalan club has not materialised.

Gyokeres arrives at this crossroads with a strong underlying profile. Before joining Arsenal, he struck 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting CP in Portugal, a run that made him one of the most coveted strikers in Europe. Transfermarkt currently values him at €65 million.

With Havertz having spent large portions of Arsenal’s title-winning season on the sidelines through injury, Gyokeres largely operated without a direct rival for the centre-forward role. Whether that dynamic shifts next season — and whether Barcelona’s interest hardens into a formal approach — will determine how this story develops before the window shuts.