Robert Lewandowski sends Arsenal clear Viktor Gyokeres message amid 'verbal transfer agreement'

Robert Lewandowski hinted towards his personal belief that not even Arsenal transfer target Viktor Gyokeres is consistent enough to replace him as Barcelona's main striker.

Building up to the summer transfer window , now that business is active it remains to be seen if an official approach is made.

The Sweden international - scorer of 54 goals last term - is believed to be on the market for around £67m. It has been reported that that the club would accept a fee below his £84m release clause.

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With such impressive figures at 26 years of age, entering his prime, some would be astounded if any of Europe's elite clubs didn't take up the opportunity for this summer.

But Barca's hasn't exactly provided a glittering endorsement of his fellow forward.

In the knowledge that he has one year remaining on his contract in Spain, the Polish goalscorer was asked by who could the club seek out to step in when the time comes.

“I haven’t seen many players who have played more than two or three years at full strength and scored more than 40 goals," Lewandowski replied with sheer honesty. "That’s why I think the level of goals has dropped a bit, as we saw last season. It’s not easy to find a player like that these days."

Pressed if Manchester City's Erling Haaland or target Gyokeres were capable, the 36-year-old continued: "I think the club has other players, but in the end, you need a perfect solution — for the signing, for the coach, and for the system.

"Finding a goal-scoring striker isn’t easy in football these days. There aren’t many top strikers around. It’s hard to find someone who fits the team, the system, and the budget.

"I think the club (Barca) has some players in another position as well, but in the end, you have to have a perfect solution for signing, but also for the club, or the coach, or the system in which you want to play.

He ended by repeating the main issue. "In football, right now, finding a striker is not easy."

With 610 career goals scored across 823 matches, the best goals-per-minute ratio of anyone in Bundesliga history and the third-most international goals scored for a European nation, Lewandowski's opinion does hold weight although it is likely suitors will have made up their minds already.

Gyokeres moved to Sporting CP from Coventry City two years ago and between his last three seasons in the Championship and Primera Liga, he has scored 119 times.

He has of course played outside of Europe's traditional top-five leagues, but within that bracket the closest to Gyokeres is Harry Kane with 92 strikes since the start of the 2022/23 campaign.

RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko is another target closely watched by the Gunners as they make their mind up for next season and beyond.