Viktor Gyokeres’ transfer continues to take twists and turns on a daily basis. Here’s the latest news on the Sporting CP star as Liverpool join Arsenal and Manchester United in taking a serious interest in the striker.
Liverpool in for Gyokeres
FootballTransfers revealed exclusively in May that Liverpool were ready to enter the race to sign Viktor Gyokeres and the Merseyside club are now stepping up their approach for the Sweden international striker.
Local reports in Portugal from Correio da Manha indicate that Arne Slot’s side are considering the forward as an option as Arsenal and Manchester United delay over the future of the former Coventry City hitman.
Liverpool are said to have been in contact with Sporting CP in recent days to ask about their terms for a deal. The Reds have been told that the Lisbon giants will only accept a sale worth €80 million.
Arsenal have so far been the only club to launch a concrete bid, but their offer of €55m plus €10m in bonuses was rejected. Gyokeres, meanwhile, has made it clear that he wants to leave Sporting.
Any move from Liverpool is likely to be dependent on securing a move for Darwin Nunez first. Napoli are closing in on the South American, who is also wanted by clubs in the Saudi Pro League.
Romano: Arsenal still in pole
Football transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano says that Arsenal remain the likeliest club to sign Gyokeres.
“Viktor Gyokeres’ priority remains Arsenal. He wants to go to Arsenal and play Champions League football. He never rejected Manchester United but he told them his priority would be Arsenal. So let’s follow the Gyokeres-Benjamin Sesko situation at Arsenal, which is still ongoing,” Romano said on YouTube.
“We can confirm reports from Portugal that Gyokeres has told Sporting that he doesn’t want to play for them any more. He wants to go. He doesn’t even want to train if the situation continues like this. He wants his exit pact to be respected. And so now it’s on Sporting to find a solution.”
Crucially, Romano has also said that Gyokeres has not turned down Man Utd but has told the Old Trafford club that they are not his priority.
Luis Suarez picked as Gyokeres replacement
Sporting have identified Luis Suarez as Gyokeres’ replacement in Lisbon – but not the former Liverpool and Barcelona ace who is currently plying his trade with Lionel Messi at the Club World Cup.
Instead, they are following the Almeria striker. A Bola has confirmed the 27-year-old is well regarded at Sporting after he scored 31 goals across 44 games in Spain’s second division last season.
If he were to complete a move to Portugal – Almeria are asking for €25m – it would be a similar deal to the one that brought Gyokeres to Lisbon from Coventry in 2023.
Also, there would be shades of the move that saw Darwin Nunez move to Sporting’s rivals Benfica. The Uruguay international striker exploded in Lisbon before making a move to Liverpool in a deal that was a record for the Anfield club at the time. Nunez’s mark has only been broken this summer by the signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen.
Why has Gyokeres fallen out with Sporting?
Gyokeres has had a complete fallout with Sporting, having told them he does not intend to either play or train with them before his transfer situation is resolved.
He is unhappy with the club reportedly going back on their word over the transfer fee they would accept for him. The Gyokeres’ camp has it on voice memo from former Sporting director Hugo Viana (now with Manchester City) that he could be sold for €60m plus €10m in bonuses.
President Frederico Varandas has been very clear on the club’s position, releasing a statement in which he said: “Sporting will not accept blackmail and insults. One thing is certain: Sporting will not accept €60 million plus €10m in bonuses.”
There has been no indication that this rift will be healed.
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