Arsenal are in advanced negotiations to sign Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP, but have yet to submit a formal offer that meets the Portuguese club’s €80 million (£69 million) asking price.
LISBON, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 22: Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting CP celebrates after scoring a goal during the Portuguese Cup match between Sporting CP and Amarante FC at Estadio Jose Alvalade on November 22, 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)
Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images
According to David Ornstein, personal terms are already in place for a five-year deal with the 27-year-old, who has long prioritised a move to north London.
The two clubs remain in discussions over the structure of the transfer fee, with Sporting rejecting Arsenal’s most recent verbal offer of €60 million plus €10 million in bonuses.
As reported in A Bola, Sporting are open to performance-based variables, but they must be deemed realistic. The club insist that only a guaranteed total of €80 million will unlock the deal, even if part of that figure is composed of bonuses.
Sporting Lisbon's Swedish forward #09 Viktor Gyokeres celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the Portuguese league football match between Sporting CP and Rio Ave FC at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon on August 9, 2024.(Photo by CARLOS COSTA/AFP via Getty Images)
Photo by CARLOS COSTA/AFP via Getty Images
Gyokeres, who has three years left on his current contract and a €100 million release clause, remains a Sporting player for now. However, amid growing frustration from his camp over what is believed to have been a verbal promise from former sporting director Hugo Viana regarding a summer move for €60–70 million, pressure is mounting.
Sporting sources insist no official bid has yet been received, and until that arrives, they see no grounds to negotiate, although they are clearly doing just that.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND: Sunderland player Dan Ballard (l) challenges Coventry striker Viktor Gyokeres during the Sky Bet Championship between Sunderland and Coventry City at Stadium of Light on July 31, 2022. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Gyokeres has been given additional time off and is not expected to report to training until Friday 11 July, the day before Sporting’s pre-season trip to the Algarve. He will return alongside Conrad Harder and Geovany Quenda, who featured in the Under-21 Euros with Denmark and Portugal respectively.
With Sporting’s other internationals, including Gonçalo Inácio, Pedro Gonçalves and Morten Hjulmand, due back on Monday, Gyokeres will be among the last to rejoin the group, under the watch of manager Rui Borges.
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