The players of Sporting CP have started a camp for the season with one remarkable name that is missing: Viktor Gyokeres. And the reaction to his absence hints that a switch to arsenal can be a foregone conclusion
The players of Sporting CP were reportedly not surprised by the absence of Viktor Gyokeres in their training camp for the season in the Algarve. It now seems only a matter of time before the Swedish striker completes a transfer to old admirers Arsenal.
The race to sign Gyokeres, who scored no fewer than 97 goals in just 102 games for his Portuguese employers, has been the conversation of the summer transfer window, with both the Gunners and the Premier League Rivalen Manchester United would like to strengthen their forward lines.
Gyokeres would reunite his nose to the idea of reuniting with Ruben Amorim in Old Trafford, and now, after he did not return this week for the preparations for Sporting and who remain missing in their Algarve training camp, are suggesting reports that his representatives are in London to close a £ 69 million movement.
Arsenal hopes ambitiously that a transfer can be completed by the end of this week, so the 27-year-old can participate in Mikel Arteta's side on their pre-season tour through Singapore.
The Swede training has brought him into hot water, and he has since been beaten with a big fine and forced himself to apologize from his teammates. However, it seems that his colleagues saw this absence coming.
Portuguese Outlet a Bola reports that the potential output of Gyokees was not openly discussed in the cohort of Sporting. Many of the club players expected, however, that the striker missed their preseason in the light of his potential Premier League switch.
The coach of Sporting, Rui Borges, is also supposed to have expected that Gyokeres would be absent in his plans for the coming season, and he has prepared himself accordingly.
Even the President of the Club, Frederico Varandas, admitted that it is unbelievably likely that Gyokeres will leave this summer, with the emirates now looking like his new home.
“If you ask me today, there is a strong opportunity that Viktor will leave,” Varandas admitted last month. “In the past few weeks we have monitored the market. I saw a player like Zubimendi, who is six months younger than Viktor, go to Arsenal for £ 56 million.
“I saw two players being sold in the Premier League, Matheus Cunha and [Bryan] Mbeumo, attackers who in my opinion do not have the quality of Viktor. [They] were sold for around £ 65 million. We are talking about players who are 26 years old.
“So, given the requirements we set with regard to the value of Viktor, I believe he could leave unless he has the worst agent in the world. I find that hard to believe because he is one of the best football players in the world.”
Although Gyokees probably seems to be wearing an Arsenal shirt next season, further reports from Portugal suggest that a dispute about add-ons has stopped negotiations. Sporting wants the add-ons to be 'easily reached', but the Gunners resist to resist, and both clubs are currently at odds over this provision.