Portuguese newspaper Record has reported that a “furious” Gyokeres has refused to represent Sporting again because he believes a gentlemen’s agreement, which supposedly said he could leave for €70 million (£59 million), has been disrespected.
Arsenal are known to have shown strong interest in Gyokeres, who has scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting, while also weighing up a move for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko. It remains to be seen which of the two forwards they choose to prioritise, or if they ultimately decide to target an alternative player.
United are also admirers of Gyokeres, who previously played under head coach Ruben Amorim in Portugal.
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim could yet still make a move for his former player at Sporting Viktor Gyokeres
However, it is understood that they would need to generate significant funds through sales if they are to move for the Swedish striker, especially given their pursuit of Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo and the completed £62.5 million deal for Matheus Cunha.
Amid the speculation, Sporting president Frederico Varandas has now moved to clarify the situation by saying he only promised Gyokeres that Sporting would not demand €100 million (£85 million), the value of his release clause.
“The process started last year when the season ended, Sporting were champions and had a fantastic season,” said Varandas.
“During the transfer window we realised that Viktor was going to stay at Sporting because we didn’t receive a single offer for him.
“When the season started, the agent approached Hugo Viana \[former director at Sporting, now director of football at Manchester City\] several times, asking if we could add an extra fee to the contract if he scored ‘x’ goals.
“I gave Viana the opportunity to negotiate, within reason. Viana manages the relationship with the agents, and very well, this is done by the sporting director.
“One of the agent’s biggest concerns was whether we would demand the value of the €100 million clause next year. Viana negotiated with the agents over several meetings, until the agent himself asked for the president’s presence to settle the matter once and for all.
“It was agreed that Sporting would not demand the release clause at the end of the following season, especially because he was going to be 27.
“We knew Viktor’s dream of going to a club where he could fight for the Champions League and we have common sense. We guaranteed that we would not demand €100million.
“In that meeting, the agent wanted to anchor the departure to a value, he spoke of €60million, €70 million, and I said, ‘there’s no point in setting a value because I don’t know what will happen here in a year, if he gets injured, if he has a disappointing season... There’s no point in setting a value, I don’t know if it will be 40, 60 or 80. What I can guarantee is that I will not demand €100 million’.
“From then on, I never spoke to the agent again, I never spoke to the player about departures and values. Ten months have passed and I see the agent in the press spouting information here and there, but Sporting has common sense, it keeps its word.”
Varandas added that the striker’s agent is “making the situation worse” as he insisted the club is yet to receive a single offer.
“The president of Sporting said the club would not demand the clause and that we would adjust the value to Viktor’s performance,” said Varandas. “He was one of the best players ever to step on the pitch in Portugal.
“One thing you should already know is that threats, blackmail and insults don’t work with me. I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60 plus 10 because I never promised him that. This game that the agent is playing only makes the situation worse. To this day, Sporting has not had an offer for Viktor Gyokeres, neither today nor last season.”