Viktor Gyokeres has been frustrated by his slow exit from Sporting Lisbon and is ready to take matters into his own hands while Manchester United and Arsenal wait
Viktor Gyokeres will refuse to return to Sporting Lisbon this summer in an attempt to force through a transfer. Things have become more and more acidic between the Swedish striker and his current club, who drag their feet across its exit in an attempt to extract the best possible transfer costs.
Sporty President Frederico Varandas has recently been extremely vocal about the bitter saga in an attempt to keep supporters aside. In the center of the dispute is a clear men's agreement, made between Gyokees and the club hierarchy, that he could leave for less than his official release clause.
Gyokees has made it clear that this summer is his time to leave Lisbon in search of new opportunities and a higher level of football. He plundered 53 goals and 13 assists in 51 games in the 2024/25 season, so that Sporting would double the competition and cup, and thinks he should get a good will.
Sporting has granted Gyokeres an extra week freely before he has to report for the preseason, but the Portuguese newspaper record says he is not going to appear.
The 27-year-old is fed up with the situation and has personally told Varandas that he feels betrayed and therefore does not play a ball. He has also been threatened to publicly give his side of the story.
Gyokeres has been a target of both Manchester United and Arsenal, who previously saw an offer of £ 55 million rejected by Sporting. But with United moved for Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo and Arsenal who prefer RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, there has been little movement in recent weeks.
Gyokeres has frustrated that, whereby the former Coventry man wants to get a movement as quickly as possible. Things have deteriorated and when he leaves, it will be under a cloud, where Varandas refuses to go back.
“Exercising is calm about this issue,” he said. “Secondly, Sport does not have to sell Viktor Gyökeres. Fortunately, we have moved beyond the sale phase of the sale of our main license.
“However, we remain sensitive to the dreams of Viktor or that of another athlete. Sport has made a commitment that after weeks of meetings we will not demand the full amount of the clause; we will be reasonable with regard to the requested amount for Viktor.
“Today there is a strong chance that he will leave. I will not reveal the amount, but the player knows what it is. I can say that Viktor will not leave for 60+10m. He will not leave, absolutely not.
“We watched the market and I saw [Martin] Zubimendi, who is six months younger than Viktor, leaves for € 65 million. I saw Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, both ahead, but who in my opinion does not have the market value or quality of Viktor, who negotiated around € 75 million.
“Given the demands we consider honestly, I believe that Viktor could leave – unless he has the worst agent in the world, which is difficult for me to believe because he is one of the best football players in the world.”