An Arsenal and Chelsea target could be on the moveplaceholder image
An Arsenal and Chelsea target could be on the move | Getty Images
A reported Arsenal and Chelsea target is ready to throw his toys out of the pram after a move by his club.
One of Arsenal’s possible transfer targets is said to be very unhappy with his current club. The Gunners are on the lookout for a striker this summer having been left sorely short at the top end of the pitch.
Mikel Arteta was without a frontman for a chunk of last season, with Kai Havertz missing a few months, while Gabriel Jesus missed much of the second half of the season and will remain out until the winter or close to it. Arsenal can’t afford to find themselves in that position again, not if they want to compete for titles, and a new striker will be signed this summer in a bid to to prevent such a situation.
It look as though RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko is Arsenal’s first choice, but all big deals are tricky to get over the line, and it is no sure thing that the Gunners will get their man. If they don’t, Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres looks as though he would be the logical alternative having been linked with a move to Arsenal, Chelsea and other Premier League clubs ahead of and during this summer.
Gyokeres has become one of the most attractive strikers in world football after putting together a stunning scoring record in Portugal, but a deal involving the striker is now looking like being a very expensive one, with Sporting moving to up their price. Though, that hasn’t gone down well with the player, according to Fabrizio Romano.
He wrote on X: “Tense situation between Viktor Gyökeres and Sporting. Despite previous pact for exit worth fee around €65m w/add-ons, Sporting president insists on higher fee. Price still under €100m clause but not €65m now. Gyökeres, described as furious.”
Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas said of the situation last week: “I tried to take a three day holiday, I got back yesterday. I've seen so much information and counter information that it's only right to come and explain the process. This starts last year, at the end of the season and Sporting is the national champion. In the transfer market we saw he was going to stay because no offers came in. The agent spoke to us to add some clauses. Hugo Viana managed the relationship with the agents as he always did, and did very well. This relationship is established with the sporting director.
“One of the agent's biggest concerns was whether we would demand a release clause. Hugo Viana negotiated with the agents over several meetings until the agent demanded the attendance of the president. At this meeting, which the president, the agent and Viana attended, but not Gyokeres, he wanted to guarantee certain things.
“And what was agreed? That Sporting would not demand a release clause at that time. For one reason: he was going to turn 27, and no 27-year-old player leaves Portugal for 100 or 90 million. At this same meeting, the agent wanted to tie the exit to a figure. I said the following: "It's not worth us setting a figure because I don't know what will happen in a year's time."
What Gyokeres has said
Sporting boss Rui Borges has said of the situation this week: "Sporting's future begins on July 1st. That's all I can say and today I'm here to, above all, salute this tribute that was paid to me. That's all. I'm on vacation, I'm not here to talk about that."
Gyokeres said last week: “We will see. Nobody knows anything yet. I wish I had a more fun answer, but that's all I can say for now.” He also said back in May: “It’s impossible to say, we never know what happens in football. Arsenal links? I don’t know anything. My focus was on the games. If the links were true then… we will see this summer.”
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