Arsenal have departed for their preseason tour to Asia without Viktor Gyökeres as talks continue with Sporting CP over a move for the striker.
The north London side headed to Singapore on Saturday for their first stop on a two-week tour which will take in friendlies against AC Milan and Newcastle United before facing Tottenham Hotspur in Hong Kong.
Sources have told ESPN that Arsenal had hoped to have Gyökeres among their travelling party as negotiations enter an advanced stage.
Arsenal have agreed to pay an initial fee in the region of €63 million ($73.26m) with around €10m in add-ons, although the exact figures have not been finalised and the specific terms of how those add-ons are triggered are still under discussion.
Almost all of Arsenal’s other new signings were part of the 30-man squad heading to Asia with Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martín Zubimendi and Christian Nørgaard all included.
Noni Madueke, who moved across London from Chelsea on Friday for a fee of up to £52m, has been omitted after being involved in the west London side’s Club World Cup win in the United States.
– Arsenal transfers: Noni Madueke joins from Chelsea
– Cristhian Mosquera confirms ‘sad’ Valencia exit
Arsenal are also finalising a deal worth about £17m with Valencia for Cristhian Mosquera but the transfer has not been finalised and so he is not part of the group that left London on Saturday.
The club’s 15-year-old prodigy Max Dowman is part of the group but Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus is not, casting doubt over his availability for the start of the season. Jesus underwent knee surgery in January.
>
