Arsenal are reportedly preparing to ‘formalise a proposal’ for the signing of Viktor Gyokeres amid explosive ‘blackmail’ accusations from Sporting Lisbon’s president, which are said to have ‘shaken up the market’.
Frederico Varandas responded to reports that a ‘furious’ Gyokeres had gone on strike after the club refused to honour a gentleman’s agreement that would have allowed him to leave for a €80m (£67m) fee – considerably lower than his €100m (£84m) release clause.
The Sporting president claimed that ‘threats, blackmail and insults’ will not persuade him to yield from his position, as per Portuguese outlet Record. He also insisted that he never promised the Swede he could depart for a cut-price fee.
According to A Bola, Varandas’ comments have ‘shaken up the market’ for the prolific forward, who has been linked with Manchester United, Juventus and the Gunners.
Their report claims that amid the messy break-up, Mikel Arteta’s side are getting ready to table a proposal for Gyokeres, with his agent said to already be in London discussing a potential deal.
Arsenal are in the market for a striker this summer and have been linked with a move for RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko, believed to be their No 1 target.
Arsenal are reportedly preparing to ‘formalise a proposal’ for the signing of Viktor Gyokeres
Frederico Varandas claimed that ‘threats, blackmail and insults’ will not persuade him to yield from his position
Mikel Arteta’s men are in the market for a striker this summer after failing to win major silverware last term
Last week they were reported to have made a formal approach for the player, in order to explore what a deal would look like if they were to bring the 22-year-old to north London, however there is yet to be an offer forthcoming.
It is thought that Leipzig would value the player similarly to the nine-figure sums connected to the likes of Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike. Mail Sport reported last week that Arsenal are hoping to secure a deal of around £70million.
The developments in Gyokeres’ situation could yet see him fetch a similar price in a staggeringly expensive striker market.
In his explosive statement on Wednesday, Varandas guarenteed that Gyokeres would not leave the Portuguese capital for for €60m+10m (£51m+£8.5m), adding: ”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.’
The president did admit that there was an agreement in regards to the release clause not needing to be met, but the fee they would indeed request was never agreed.
Gyokeres has removed any reference to Sporting on his Instagram account, having also got rid of any mention of Sweden and Nike.
He has three years remaining on his contract in Lisbon, but he is determined to take on a new challenge after just two years at the club, where he won the league twice, and completed a domestic double this campaign.
Rui Borges, Sporting manager, was asked about Gyokeres when attending an event on Tuesday to mark the 99th anniversary of provincial team Sport Clube de Mirandela – the club where his football journey began – but refused to give anything away.
Man United – managed by Gyokeres’ former boss Ruben Amorim – have maintained contact with the striker and are said to be ‘exploring the conditions’ of a potential deal.
‘Gyokeres? Sporting’s future begins on July 1st,’ Borges told reporters.
‘That’s all I can say and today I’m here to, above all, salute this tribute that was paid to me. That’s all. I’m on vacation, I’m not here to talk about that.’
Meanwhile, United have maintained contact with the striker and are said to be ‘exploring the conditions’ of a potential deal. The 27-year-old has long been touted as United’s top transfer target, with the Swede having previously worked under Ruben Amorim at Sporting.
The financial impact United’s failure to qualify for European football initially looked to severely damaged their hopes of securing the striker, who netted 39 league goals from just 31 starts in the Portuguese top flight last season.
