Viktor Gyokeres has reportedly told Sporting CP he’ll never play for the club again and could go on strike amid growing talk of a move to Manchester United, and Sporting’s president has dropped a bombshell on the transfer saga that is quickly turning ugly.
Gyokeres has developed into one of world football’s most feared strikers during his two-year spell with Sporting CP. The Swede’s record for the back-to-back Primeira Liga winners stands at 97 goals and 28 assists in just 102 appearances.
Gyokeres’ deal in Lisbon contains a release clause worth €100m. However, it had been widely reported the striker, his agents and Sporting’s hierarchy made a verbal pact that would facilitate his exit in the summer of 2025 for around €70m.
The flipside of the pact was Gyokeres would stick around for the full 2024/25 season. The decision has been vindicated on Sporting’s end, with Gyokeres firing the club to a league and cup double this term.
The summer has now rolled around and Gyokeres is a wanted man at Man Utd, Arsenal and Al-Hilal.
But with Arsenal prioritising Benjamin Sesko and Al-Hilal proceeding with a move for Darwin Nunez, the door has swung wide open for Man Utd and Gyokeres’ former boss at Sporting, Ruben Amorim.
What’s more, Gyokeres is ‘open’ to joining the Red Devils despite their lack of Champions League football. Accordingly, Man Utd have already made initial approaches for the signing via intermediaries.
However, there are now serious question marks arising over the validity of the alleged verbal pact.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano – who has repeatedly insisted the pact exists – is now claiming Sporting have changed their tune.
Per the reporter, Sporting have let it be known they now want more then €70m in a development that has not gone down well with Gyokeres.
And according to Portuguese outlet Record, Gyokeres ‘will not wear the [Sporting] jersey again’.
It’s claimed Gyokeres has personally informed the club of that stance, and the report even went on to state he’s willing to go on strike to force a transfer through.
Understandably, the situation in Lisbon is tense and the club’s president, Frederico Varandas, has poured gasoline and not water on the flames…
Sporting president makes Gyokeres guarantee / turns spotlight on agent
In quotes carried by the BBC, Varandas leaked what was actually said when the alleged verbal pact was struck one year ago.
Furthermore, Varandas guaranteed that his side’s star striker will NOT leave for €70m.
“I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60m euros plus 10m euros because I never promised that,” Varandas said.
“To this day Sporting has not had an offer for Gyokeres – neither today nor last season.”
The Sporting president added: “One of the agent’s biggest concerns was whether we would demand the termination clause.
“He wanted to guarantee certain things. And what was agreed? That Sporting would not demand a release clause now.
“For one reason: he was going to be 27 years old and no player leaves Portugal at 27 for 100m euros or 90m euros.
“In that same meeting the agent wanted to anchor the exit to a value. I said this sentence: ‘It’s not worth us setting a value because I don’t know what will happen in a year’s time. I don’t know if it will be 40m euros, 60m euros or 80m euros. What I can guarantee is that I will not demand 100 million euros.'”
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