Arsenal signed Viktor Gyokeres for an initial £55 million from Sporting CP last month, and police in Sweden are now investigating a shooting incident at the home of a football agent, according to Swedish outlet Dagens ETC.
While the main agent of the Gunners striker waived his fee of the transfer to help facilitate the deal, Dagens claim some payments were made, which has led to blackmail, threats and a shooting.
The target was the relative of a football agent, and while two shots were fired, nobody was hit.
It is believed an extortion plot in relation to the Gyokeres transfer to Arsenal is happening after one of those involved in the deal posted an update on social media.
He confirmed that he was part of the deal, and he is now being blackmailed.
Extortion from football agents is rife in Sweden, and some criminals are trying to get some money from the deal which took the former Sporting CP hitman to the North London club.
Given the number of employees in an agency and the number of agents involved in transfer deals, it appears one of them has been targeted.
The Arsenal number 14 is represented by the Hasan Cetinkaya Management agency, and they would normally have taken a portion of the hefty transfer fee.
Agents get commission from the buying and selling clubs, and while the main agent appears to have waived off Sporting’s share of the commission, he might have still been paid off by Arsenal.
Football transfers are complicated and most of the details in a typical contract do not become public knowledge.
Gyokeres is looking forward to having a successful career at Arsenal and is expected to start when they take on Manchester United at Old Trafford in their Premier League opener for 2025-26 on Sunday.