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Dutch

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Posts posted by Dutch

  1. IMG_8434.jpeg

    Spoiler

    Arsenal are in the process of completing a deal to sign Viktor Gyokeres after taking final steps in negotiations with Sporting CP for the striker.

    Sporting confirm a deal in principle is in place, with an agreement of a €63.5million (£54.8m, $74.2m) fixed upfront fee plus €10m (£8.6m, $11.7m) in add-ons, while the striker’s agent has waived his fee to help facilitate the deal.

    Talks have been prolonged by Sporting president Frederico Varandas refusing to accept what Gyokeres believes was an agreement to leave this summer for €60m plus €10m of add-ons.

    That amount is exceeded by Arsenal’s proposals and they have now made formal advances over terms of the switch in a bid to close the proposed transfer.

    Gyokeres has not returned to pre-season training with Sporting amid his desire to join the Premier League club and a five-year contract is lined up.

    The 27-year-old Sweden international emerged as Arsenal’s preferred target to recruit a specialist centre-forward and prioritised them over all other suitors, while manager Mikel Arteta wants him to join the squad at the earliest opportunity.

    Gyokeres joined the Portuguese club in 2023 from Coventry City and has developed into one of Europe’s most in-demand players. Last season he scored 54 goals in 52 games as Sporting won the league title and cup double.

    He would be Arsenal’s fourth signing of the summer window after midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard joined from Real Sociedad and Brentford respectively and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga arrived from Chelsea. The club have also agreed a deal for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke.

    Arsenal were without a recognised No. 9 for much of last season as they finished second in the league, ten points behind champions Liverpool with 17 fewer goals scored.

    Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus filled in for much of the season before getting injured in January and February respectively with midfielder Mikel Merino deputising in their absence late in the year.

    The Athletic reported in March that Arsenal were developing a strong interest in Gyokeres  who had been admired for some time by their newly-appointed sporting director Andrea Berta.

    Gyokeres made his Sweden debut aged 20 and has played 26 games at international level, scoring 15 goals.


    ‘Gyokeres offers much more than goals’

    Analysis by data writer Thom Harris

    There’s quite an obvious appeal to Gyokeres when flicking through the numbers; his 68 league goals since joining Sporting two summers ago is well over double that of any other player in Portugal throughout that time, a brutal finisher, able to generate freakish power on either side.

    But there’s more to the Swede than just lasered shots and penalty-box poaching — Gyokeres is a prodigious runner, direct, explosive, and with the physical capacity to repeat those movements at high intensity.

    As we can see from his SkillCorner run profile below — comparing his off-ball work to strikers across Europe’s top seven leagues — he’s often targeting the space in-behind, or pulling wide to run the channels, happy to take a defender out wide before powering inside and getting his shot away.

    viktor_gyokeres_run_style_2024-25-1.png

    The Premier League, of course, is a different proposition, and while Gyokeres clearly has the physical capabilities to battle it out with the strongest of centre-backs, he may not be afforded quite as much space to attack for a side such as Arsenal, often pass-heavy and patient in their build-up. He also isn’t prolific in the air, without a single headed goal in league football last season.

    But the Swede is a handful, a guaranteed goalscorer, a relentless runner, and a ruthless No. 9 who can turn half-chances into goals. If Premier League teams thought they had figured out Arteta’s Arsenal, this signing would add a new dimension.

    Apparently, the agent waving his fee was one of the keys to getting the deal done. He should have, after agreeing to that “ gentlemen’s agreement.”

     

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  2. Reportedly the hang up is we offered €65m+€15m and they want €70m+€10m. Just pay the damn €5m, esp after we just shelled out £50m+ and are sniffing around Eze at ~ £68m. 

    Also… this Gyökeres never should have agreed to a “gentleman’s agreement” when we reupped w/ Spirting. It’s either in the contract or it’s not. Never understand why agents agree to that. 

  3. 1 hour ago, Derka said:

    we have the worst fans in the premier league.

    what’s crazy is that if you take away the english gooners you take away 90% of this bullshit. they are by far the worst ones. shit is stupid.

    Pathetic. That’s some aggy level shit. You can think a player isn’t a good signing, value for performance, etc. I did, but guess what. He’s an Arsenal player now. Get behind the lad, cheer for him, and hope he has lots of success while playing for The Arsenal. 

     

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  4. 2 hours ago, Derka said:

    we were going to pay like $90M or whatever for mudryk before chelsea swooped in and paid him messi wages to sign for them. not only did we end up with trossard, but he’s been so great that we may sell him at 30 and more or less recoup our fee. what a signing that turned out to be.

    Yup. Trossard is/was hands-down one of the club’s best signings, an absolute bargain for what we paid vs what he produced. Wish him nothing but the best. 

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  5. I’ll happily eat crow if I’m wrong and will be disappointed if y’all don’t go full Surl on my ass if he’s a stud player. I’ll admit, if we were paying Brentford or Wolves £50m for a winger I wouldn’t be as hesitant. That said… IDK about this one.  Berta and Arteta have a good hit rate on transfers, though.  

  6. Kepa for £5m to be a backup GK? Deal. Jorg for £12m to be a midfield rotation guy and mentor to the kids? Bargain. Kai was a stretch; honestly, we overpaid. Now this dude? Chelsea is in PSR hell; why are we signing one of their rejects at full price to be a backup? Should be paying no more than £25m. 

    Chelsea have 95 players in their squad and are in PSR hell; needs to be a discount for us to take him after their books, and even then I still don’t like the idea of reducing Ethan’s minutes. 

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  7. Wonder whether Max (or his camp) let it be known to Red Bull that he was opting out of his contract after this year. Losing Max and Adrian Newey, the best driver on the grid and the aero whisperer whose chassis have won 12 WCC and 14 WDC, in consecutive years convinced the Thai shareholder the team needed a reset. If they’re stuck with a tractor no one but Max can drive, RB might as well start the reboot now.

    If it’s a roll of the dice to get Max to stay…. Bold strategy, Cotton. 

    From the POV of a driver…. 2026 is a new reg year. Would it be better to stick a year and see who nails the regs? Especially if you’re Max who would be wanted at every team? George must have been ecstatic at getting moved up to Merc in 2022: “I’m in a car that has won seven consecutive WCCs!” Only they messed up the regs. What if Max jumps to Merc only for Newey to do an Adrain Newey and design AM a title car. Seems better for Max to jump after 26, but WDIK.

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  8. On 7/6/2025 at 8:41 PM, DallasHorn26 said:

    Omar in court has me rolling.


    giphy.gif

    “I got the shotgun; you got the briefcase. It’s all in The Game tho, right?”

    One of the best lines in television history.

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    • Like 1
  9. On 5/19/2025 at 6:42 PM, Stringer said:

    “Got to. This America, man.”

    Perfect opening scene in TV history  

    FIFY. 
     

     

    On 7/3/2025 at 2:59 AM, Derka said:

     

    “You juke the stats, and majors become colonels.”

    On 7/6/2025 at 9:46 PM, Celery Man said:

    used to love dem mitts

    Stuff was deep, truly. 

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  10. 19 hours ago, Derka said:

     

    If paying £50m for a Chelsea castoff in part causes Ethan to decide his future lies elsewhere… it will go down as one of the worst signings in club history. 

    FUCK. THAT SHIT. 

  11. Clive from ArsenalVision with two good points: 

    1. Gyökeres wants deeply to play for Arsenal. Not just a CL club. Arsenal. Sesko? Very much seems he is willing to wait and wants another club. This matters.

    2. He runs and works his ass off, and has that hunger to score goals. 

    Also…  Arsenal previously signed a 27 year-old with an unconventional route to top flight football, and it worked out alright for Wrighty. 

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  12. 5 minutes ago, Derka said:

    he’s a ready-made, goal scoring beast, and he looked awesome against us last year. can’t wait to have him in the team.

    Yup. Not to mention a smaller fee on the 9 also allows us more room to maneuver on winger and defender deals. Also, should have thought a few years ago that £56m + 9-13m would be the bargain. 

  13. Looks like it’s Gyökeres; he’s the “win now” player at the peak of his powers vs Sesko who may have a higher ceiling in 4 years. £56m with £9-13m in performance add-ons. Leipzig reportedly want north of £80m and won’t budge. There’s also reports he wants a move to Liverpool and is willing to wait another year for them to get him.  

    I also understand Arteta wanting the new striker to have a full preseason to get integrated into the side.

     

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