Antonio Conte pushes Napoli to sign £58m Arsenal target this summer

Antonio Conte has urged Napoli to make a bold move in the transfer market by signing one of Europe’s most sought-after strikers, Viktor Gyokeres, after committing his future to the club.

Despite winning the Serie A title in his debut season with Napoli, Conte had been linked with a return to Juventus, who held talks with the former Chelsea and Inter Milan boss. However, the 55-year-old has turned down interest from the Turin giants and instead extended his stay in Naples, making it clear he expects strong backing in the upcoming transfer window.

With the summer window opening briefly from June 1 to June 10 ahead of the Club World Cup, and then resuming on June 16, Conte is pushing Napoli’s hierarchy to act fast in securing Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon. According to The Daily Mirror, Conte is a long-time admirer of the Swedish striker and sees him as a key addition, even with Romelu Lukaku already leading the line.

Gyokeres, 26, has enjoyed a sensational spell at Sporting, scoring a remarkable 97 goals in 104 games across two seasons. His form has attracted widespread attention, with Manchester United, Arsenal, and Chelsea all previously linked with a move.

United appeared front-runners for the forward earlier this year, especially after the appointment of Gyokeres’ former manager Ruben Amorim. However, the Red Devils’ disastrous campaign, finishing 15th in the Premier League and missing out on European football has reportedly cooled the player’s interest in a move to Old Trafford.

Arsenal remain keen, having reportedly submitted a £58 million bid and prepared a lucrative contract that would place Gyokeres among the highest earners at the Emirates. However, the Gunners are also weighing up a move for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, who could cost closer to £100 million, leaving their pursuit of Gyokeres in doubt.

Chelsea were previously in contention but have since shifted focus, sealing a £30 million deal for Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap and ending their interest in the Sporting striker.

Despite the heavy transfer speculation, there’s a possibility Gyokeres may not move at all this summer. Speaking during Sporting’s title celebrations, his uncle Chris hinted the player could stay in Lisbon for another year.

“Yesterday at dinner we decided that he has to stay,” Chris told Record. “Yes, we think so. We hope so, because look… we love it. The country, the people, Sporting… it’s incredible!”

Gyokeres began his career in England with stints at Swansea City, West Brom, and Coventry City before making a high-profile move to Sporting Lisbon in 2023. Now firmly on Napoli’s radar, his next move could become one of the major storylines of the summer transfer window—if Conte gets his way.