Mikel Arteta has said that he cannot comment on Arsenal's striving for Viktor Gyokees … still.
It is more than a week since Arsenal a fixed fee of £ 55 million corresponded to the sporting CP Vooruit, after a breakthrough in conversations with the Portuguese club.
However, the negotiations are still underway on the add-ons as part of the deal, with Sporting achieving € 10 million (£ 8.7 million). Further conversations last week were about the conditions of those bonus payments.
Arsenal has since left on their pre-season tour to Singapore and Hong Kong, with Arteta early if Gyokees will be a Gunners player before the start of the new season.
“I can't comment on a player who is not yet part of our group,” said Arteta. “If we have something concrete to offer to every player, we will do that.”
So far, Arsenal has completed deals this summer for Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Noni Madueke – in a busy start of their first summer window among new sports director Andrea Berta.
Gyokeres is not the only outstanding Arsenal -deal in the pipeline with an initial £ 13 million deal for Valencia defender Crisqueian Mosquera almost completed.
“I am very satisfied, that's all I will say,” said Arteta about the Arsenal case so far.
“There are many parties and things that we have to keep in mind to get a player over the line and here. I am very hopeful that we will do it soon.”
Asked if he expects new players to join Arsenal during their tour through Asia, Arteta replied: “There is still a long time in the window and we are still looking for numbers, we are short and we have to improve the depth and quality of the team.
“We are constantly looking in the market. Until that happens, concentrate on the players we have and concentrate on it and I am very happy with what I have seen in the last 10-15 days.”
Arteta: Zubimendi has rejected very good movements to participate with us
Arteta was also about the purchase of Gunners by Martin Zubimendi -in which the Arsenal manager revealed that the Spanish midfielder “some very good opportunities” turned to moving to North Londs.
Zubimendi was close to a move to Liverpool last summer, but chose to stay in Real Sociedad for another year.
Arsenal then delved into the Spaniard with Arteta who played his role in convincing the midfielder to choose the Gunners instead.
“It was a long, long process,” said Arteta about the pursuit of Zubimendi.
“He had many opportunities to decide if he wanted to come and the good news is that this club is great and that everyone wants to come there. And he has left some very good chances to come to us and he is very impressive.
“I think we are all very impressed with what we have seen over the past seven to ten days, because once you have the player every day and you see his character, you see his personality, his intelligence and how much it will bring for the team, very enthusiastic.”