Though his exit during the summer transfer window seems inevitable, the nature of his legacy at Sporting remains uncertain amid ongoing public disputes. ..Continue Reading
Arsenal and Sporting have reached a verbal understanding on a deal valued at £55 million upfront, with an additional £8.6 million in performance-related bonuses.
However, negotiations between Arsenal’s sporting director Andrea Berta and Sporting officials have yet to produce a finalized agreement on the payment structure.
This delay has seemingly opened the door for Manchester United, who have entered the race with a late bid to snatch Gyokeres from Arsenal’s grasp.
Portuguese sources claim United have submitted an offer in the range of €70–80 million, hoping to reunite manager Ruben Amorim with his former striker.
Whether United’s last-minute move succeeds remains to be seen, but Gyokeres’ relationship with Sporting appears to be beyond repair.
The 27-year-old has been pushing hard for a transfer and has openly clashed with club president Federico Varandas in pursuit of his exit.
Both parties have exchanged pointed remarks in the Portuguese media, with the dispute centered on an alleged verbal agreement regarding Gyokeres’ release terms.
Gyokeres insists Varandas promised to let him leave if a club met the €60 million plus €10 million valuation, a claim the president denies.
In protest, Gyokeres has refused to report for pre-season training, declaring he won’t play for Sporting again—prompting the club to initiate disciplinary action.
According to Record, Gyokeres has now responded through his legal team, arguing that Varandas’ failure to honor their agreement is the reason for his absence.
The situation has grown increasingly complicated, as Sporting aim to secure the highest possible fee for their prized asset.
Gyokeres remains under contract until June 2028, and Varandas has shown no hesitation in taking a firm stance during negotiations and making his position known publicly.
“If they don’t want to pay Viktor’s fair market value, we’re very comfortable with that for the next three years,” he said recently.
“This strategy is also making it more complicated for the player to leave. Nobody is above the interests of the club. Whoever they are. We’re calm. Everything will be resolved with the market closing, a hefty fine and an apology to the group.”
He added: “One thing you should already know is me better. Threats, blackmail and insults don’t work with me.
“I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for €60m+10m because I never promised him that. This game that the agent is playing only makes the situation worse. To this day, Sporting has not had an offer for Viktor Gyokeres, neither today nor last season.”
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