Jose Mourinho has lavished Viktor Gyokeres with compliments as the striker edges closer to a move to Arsenal . Andrea Berta seems to have secured the 27-year-old forward, who has been persistently linked with a switch to the Emirates Stadium throughout the summer . Last week , Arsenal struck a deal in principle for €63.5m (£55m), with an additional €10m (£8.7m) in add-ons, after which Andrea Berta and the Portuguese club ironed out the payment structure. While Arsenal's sporting director was putting the finishing touches on the deal, it is understood that Sporting were entertaining offers from other clubs. Manchester United were seen as possible contenders, as well as clubs from the Saudi Pro League, but the Swedish international made it clear he was set on joining the north London team. Gyokeres is expected to complete his medical soon, followed by fulfilling his media duties with Arsenal before his much-awaited transfer is officially confirmed. Speaking to Portuguese publication A Bola before the Swede's announcement, Mourinho was questioned about the impending transfer. The ex-Chelsea and Tottenham manager set aside any rivalry to commend the soon-to-be Arsenal player, reports Football London . "Gyokeres is a great player, I have no doubt about that," Mourinho stated. "Now, Sporting had a way of playing largely around him or adapted to him; I don't know what Hugo Viana and Ruben Amorim's initial thinking was. "But he's a player with great potential; it's clear that in England he'll play against stronger teams and better players. Unfortunately, of the 3,400 lies that have been told about the transfer market, the one that's the one that says he's not going to Fenerbahçe is the lie. "So many lies, so much interest, so many people working for agents, for clubs - it's a war that's not mine," Mourinho added, having earlier criticised the Portuguese top flight during the interview. "It's not competitive. "When I left Roma, I spent half a dozen months in Portugal and went to Luz and Alvalade several times. I often saw Benfica and Sporting against teams in the bottom half of the league; it's not competitive. "What can be done? I don't know, I'm out of the loop, I don't know if centralising television rights could better balance the playing field, but when we look at budgets, transfer markets, incoming players.. "I think we're talking about a very, very unequal battle. The big three are the big three, and of course SC Braga is growing and growing with all due merit, but FC Porto, Benfica, and Sporting still have a significant gap."