Manchester United target Viktor Gyokeres and Sporting Lisbon both have very different ideas of what is an acceptable transfer fee this summer.
Head coach Ruben Amorim is keen to reunite with Viktor Gyokeres this summer after their incredible relationship together in Portugal.
Gyokeres is open to joining United despite the lack of European football next season, but the player has become entangled in a messy dispute.
Sporting have frustrated the Swedish striker by insisting there was no gentleman’s agreement for Viktor Gyokeres to be sold for £52m this summer.
As a result, Gyokeres is ready to go on strike to force a summer move.
Viktor Gyokeres pumps fist to celebrate, Sporting
Photo by Pedro Loureiro/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
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Sporting began their pre-season training on Tuesday but Gyokeres did not attend. He was given extra time off, despite not taking part in Sweden’s national matches.
Sporting’s president has warned Gyokeres that the club will not be bullied into accepting a smaller fee, but the longer the striker goes on strike, the more likely they are to lower their asking price.
United have been in a very similar situation when it came to signing Bruno Fernandes back in 2020.
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Fernandes was signed for £46.6m after weeks of United negotiating with Sporting. As reported by Sport Witness, the Portuguese club were originally holding out for £69m (€80m) before eventually lowering their demands.
It feels as though the Gyokeres situation could follow a similar storyline, with Sporting trying to put on a strong stance early this window.
However, neither United nor Arsenal have shown signs of reaching the valuation that Sporting want.
Viktor Gyokeres transfer saga could last all summer
Sporting insist they have no need to sell Gyokeres having already cashed in on several players including United target Geovany Quenda.
However, Sporting won’t want to continue paying Gyokeres when the player has made it clear he is desperate to leave and will not return to training.
United remain in the race for Gyokeres, but Ineos’ best chance of finalising a deal at a reasonable price is to wait patiently to see how the saga unfolds.
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Ideally, Ruben Amorim wants signings this month so they can participate in the pre-season tour and prepare for the 2025/26 season.
But if he wants Gyokeres to join him in Manchester, United might have to wait out Sporting’s asking price to drop back to around £60m.