The completion of the deal now hinges on one of the two sides making a compromise, with reports from Portugal indicating that Arsenal may be prepared to abandon negotiations. It's reported that Gyokeres and his agents are increasingly fearful that a deal may not materialise. If it doesn't, he'll supposedly seek a loan move to another European club, insisting he won't play for Sporting again.
This mirrors the decision made by Victor Osimhen last summer when his future remained unresolved, reports the Mirror. Deemed surplus to requirements at Napoli, the Nigerian striker moved to Galatasaray in Turkey for the season, where he enjoyed a prolific spell.
The Sun has reported that Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce are keeping a close eye on Gyokeres, in case he requires a loan move. Juventus are also said to be monitoring the situation. Arsenal are keen to sign a new striker this summer and have shifted their focus from Red Bull Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko to Gyokeres, who has scored an impressive 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting since August 2023.
Negotiations are ongoing between Arsenal and his current club, who are demanding an upfront payment of £60m with an additional £8m in add-ons. The personal terms for a five-year contract are already agreed upon, with the add-ons relating to goal and trophy bonuses.
It's been reported that Gyokeres has informed Sporting that he will not play for them again in an effort to expedite the transfer, while he also plans to boycott pre-season training following disagreements with the team's management. Sporting players returned to training on Monday, but Gyokeres has been granted extra days off to facilitate his move.
His frustration reportedly stems from a belief that the Portuguese champions have reneged on a 'gentleman's agreement' to let him leave this summer for around £60m, despite his current contract running until 2028. However, the club's management denies this claim and insists they want to keep their star player.