Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres finds himself the centre of the main summer transfer window saga as Manchester United push to strengthen their attack
Comments
Sport
Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres celebrates scoring in the Portuguese Cup final
Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres celebrates scoring in the Portuguese Cup final
(Image: CARLOS COSTA/AFP via Getty Images)
Viktor Gyokeres has been all over the headlines this summer after yet another sensational season for Sporting Lisbon.
Incredibly, the Swede has scored 97 goals in two seasons for the Portuguese club which is proof enough that Gyokeres is worthy of all the interest circulating around him. Manchester United and Arsenal appear to be leading the way for the 27-year-old but they are not alone in their desire to sign him.
Serie A giants Juventus are also looking on while a move to the Saudi Pro League is not thought to be out of the question either. So with all the toing and froing that is encompassing the Gyokeres deal, MEN Sport has taken the time to round-up everything you need to know about the current situation.
The release clause
The first thing to point out with Gyokeres is that this move could run smoothly for all involved. Sporting included a £85m release clause in Gyokeres' contract and should that be met by either United, Arsenal or whoever else, then the Lisbon club could not stand his way of an exit.
However, the complications arise surrounding the 'gentleman's agreement' that either exists or does not, depending on who you listen to.
Gyokeres and Sporting's stance on the gentleman's agreement
Gyokeres' camp believe that Sporting agreed to sell the Swede for roughly £51m up front and £8.5m in add-ons this summer. It is believed this was agreed as a thank you for his efforts in Lisbon since arriving.
However, Sporting president Frederico Varandas has disputed this and insisted that he would not sell Gyokeres for as little as £60m all in. This was disputed again in the Portuguese media with Gyokeres' agency claiming that they have the agreement in writing.
What Gyokeres has said?
To his credit, Gyokeres has managed to stay out of this situation for the most part. During the season, he was asked if he liked London to which he replied that he liked Lisbon.
It was claimed that Gyokeres deleted reference to Sporting on his Instagram bio as evidence that he was unhappy with the club blocking his exit. However, he fired a cryptic message shortly afterwards which read: "There is a lot of talks at the moment, most of it false.
"I will speak when the time is right." It is unclear whether this was aimed at Sporting or media reports about his happiness.
Viktor Gyokeres and Sporting president Frederico Varandas embrace after the Lisbon club were crowned champions
Viktor Gyokeres and Sporting president Frederico Varandas embrace after the Lisbon club were crowned champions
What Varandas has said?
Varandas has since clarified his stance regarding Gyokeres' release clause. He admits that he will not hold the player to his release clause but no price was ever agreed.
"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," the president explained to Record. "Then, 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 100 million (£85m). In that meeting, the agent wanted to anchor the departure to a value, he spoke of 60 million (£51m), 70 million (£59.7m)... 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...
"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.
"The president of Sporting said that the club would not demand the clause and that we would adjust the value to Viktor's performance, he was one of the best players ever to step on the pitch in Portugal."
Arsenal stance
In Portugal, further reports emerged on Sunday to suggest that Arsenal had frozen their interest in Gyokeres. It was claimed that the Gunners were frustrated by Sporting's desire to stick to their £68m asking price.
Arsenal would therefore turn their attention to other targets, including Ollie Watkins at Aston Villa.
United stance
Gyokeres and Ruben Amorim have a good working relationship and it would be shocking if the Reds were not interested in him. MEN Sport understands that Bryan Mbeumo remains the priority for the time being as they look to seal that deal before Tottenham.
However, a striker is next on their incoming agenda. That search was delayed at the beginning of the window after Liam Delap chose Chelsea ahead of the Reds.
Juventus offer
To add even more confusion to the matter, Juventus are trying to muscle in on the act. The Turin club want to sign Gyokeres as a replacement for Dusan Vlahovic.
Corriere dello Sport understands that the Turin club are willing to offer him a salary of £11m per year if he was to commit to them. However, the catch is that they would need to offload Vlahovic before pursuing Gyokeres.
Latest odds
Now that is all explained, here is how the bookmakers bet365 see this situation unfolding, based on which club Gyokeres will be at by September 3, when the transfer window will have shut.
Arsenal - 1/3
Manchester United - 7/2
Juventus and Chelsea - 12/1
Any Saudi Arabian team and Sporting Lisbon - 16/1