A shooting and alleged blackmail plot is examined by police officers on links to Arsenal's £ 64 million signing of striker Viktor Gyokeres after a bitter transfer battle.
The family member of an agent connected to the vast deal was trapped in the double explosion in Stockholm, Sweden.
Frederico Varandas, president of the former club of the Swedish star, Sporting Lisbon, said that “blackmail and insults” would not force him to agree to a deal before the player signed for the gunners.
The police in Sweden – confronted with rising levels of gangriminality – tried to determine whether the shooting and alleged plot to squeeze cash were linked to the transfer.
Detectives investigated whether two shots in Huddinge were fired near Stockholm, were an attempt to kill a family member of an agent who had connections with the deal.
It is thought that the family member has estimated about receiving a piece of the signing costs of £ 64 million – possibly activating the claims that he was “put under pressure” in a blackmail bid.
The police stormed to the Schietscène after the locals reported that they will hear banging outside. Nobody was injured.
Last night an agent of the Arsenal striker did not confirm or denied whether he was the victim of blackmail, but said, “It is a very vulnerable industry where this kind of things unfortunately perform.”
He was reported as to say, “This shooting has nothing to do with me or football.”
Per Engström, section chef in the operational department of the Swedish police, said that criminals had focused on football agencies in recent years because they handle large amounts.
He added: “We warned it. But the criminals started to use young people as perpetrators.
'Chantage and Insults'
“They take assignments to blackmail people or intimidate people. It is a growing problem, different branches of society will be influenced.”
Before Gyokees signed his five-year-old Arsenal deal, Sporting Lisbon President Varandas said: “Blackmail and insults, sport will not accept it.”
It was said that Gyokees was willing to strike because he believed that the Portuguese club had returned to his word about the compensation they were willing to accept a move.
The Arsenal deal concluded the long-term Saga after the frontman was connected to Manchester United.
He did not report in sports before the preseason earlier this month and Varandas said that the player would be confronted with disciplinary action.