Viktor Gyokeres' agent does not have a ‘signed letter’ from Sporting CP that allows Arsenal to sign him for a fee less than his release clause, reports in Portugal now claim.
Gyokeres’ stellar performances over the past two seasons have sparked serious interest from Premier League giants Arsenal and Manchester United. It has come to light in recent weeks that Gyokeres favours a move to Mikel Arteta's Gunners rather than reuniting with his former boss, Ruben Amorim, at Old Trafford.
But his dream transfer to the Emirates Stadium appears to have hit a snag due to Sporting's hefty asking price. Earlier reports had suggested that the 27-year-old could leave the Portuguese champions for less than his £84m release clause.
His representative, Hasan Cetinkaya, claimed he had a gentleman's agreement in place with Sporting from last summer which meant they would accept an offer around £60m (€70m, including €10m in bonuses), even claiming to have a signed letter as evidence.
Yet, Sporting's president Frederico Varandas has accused Gyokeres' camp of attempting to 'blackmail' the club into letting their star player go. As a result, the Portuguese giants are holding out for a significantly larger fee, which has put a spanner in the works for his potential departure.
In the latest episode of the Jogo Aberto podcast, featuring Luís Aguilar, Marco Caneira, and Pedro Henriques, it was claimed that there is no signed agreement forcing Sporting to accept a lower bid for their player.
Caneira, a former Sporting defender, said: “Sporting are calm, the agent’s main problem is the contract he has with the player, which is coming to an end.”
Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting poses for photos with the Portuguese Cup 2025 Winners Trophy after winning SL Benfica at Estadio Nacional do Jamor
There was reportedly no gentleman's agreement to let Viktor Gyokeres leave for less than his release clause (Image: Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Former Benfica star Henriques added: “Gyokeres’ agent’s strategy only creates chaos and discomfort.”
Meanwhile, Portuguese publication A Bola reports that Cetinkaya’s bold claim actually refers to a clause that allows Gyokeres to receive 10% of any external offer over £51.3m (€60m), which Sporting rejects.
The report further states that the clause isn’t in letter form but in the contract the Sweden international inked back in the summer of 2023 after his switch from Coventry City.
If that clause is activated, Sporting will insist on receiving the full £84m release clause fee before they let Gyokeres go, which is unlikely to sit well with the forward.
Gyokeres is said to have already threatened to go on strike after vowing to 'speak at the right time.' It was reported by A Bola that Gyokeres is 'very upset' with Sporting's current stance and has voiced his dissatisfaction to club bosses.
Arsenal are not solely focusing on Gyokeres, however, given the complications surrounding his potential departure from Sporting. They're also keenly pursuing RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, as they look to complete the deal that offers the best value.
On the other hand, United have found it challenging to build on their signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolves, with Tottenham's interest in Bryan Mbuemo dealing a blow to their efforts.
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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