Arsenal have held fresh talks with Viktor Gyokeres’ agent over a summer deal for the Sporting CP striker, in keeping with reports in Portugal.
Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Juventus have all expressed their interest in signing the Sweden international this summer after one other impressive campaign through which he scored 54 goals in 52 matches, and helped Sporting win the domestic league and cup double.
Sporting have been open to selling Gyokeres in the summertime transfer window for lower than his €100 million (£83.8m) release clause.
Nevertheless, Sporting’s president, Frederico Varandas, hit out at Gyokeres and his agent on Wednesday over suggestions that a set fee had been agreed ahead of the window.
Meanwhile, CNN Portugal and Portuguese newspaper Record reported on Wednesday evening that Arsenal’s hierarchy met with Gyokeres’ representative, Hasan Cetinkaya, on Wednesday and an official offer from the Gunners is now expected.
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It’s claimed that Gyokeres has informed his agent that he wants to hitch Arsenal ahead of United, Chelsea or Juventus.
CNN Portugal reporter Nuno Farinha said: ‘Arsenal are the club that Gyokeres has wanted from the very starting.
‘Gyokeres desires to play for Arsenal, he has stated this desire very openly to his agent.
‘Officially, there has not been a proposal yet, but there have been many contacts. This time, plainly there might be [an offer].’
Speaking earlier on Wednesday, Varandas told Gyokeres and his agent that he wouldn’t be ‘blackmailed’ into accepting a low offer for the striker this summer.
‘It was agreed that Sporting wouldn’t demand the discharge clause at the tip of the next season, especially because he was going to be 27,’ Varandas said.
‘Then, we knew Viktor’s dream of going to a club where he could fight for the Champions League and we have now common sense. We guaranteed that we’d not demand €100 million.
‘In that meeting, the agent desired to anchor the departure to a price, he spoke of €60 million, €70 million… And I said “there’s no point in setting a price because I don’t know what’s going to occur here in a 12 months, if he gets injured, if he has a disappointing season.
‘There’s no point in setting a price, I don’t know if it is going to be €40m, €60m or €80m. What I can guarantee is that I won’t demand €100 million”.
‘From then on, I never spoke to the agent again, I never spoke to the player about departures and values.
‘Ten months have passed and I see the agent within the press spouting information here and there, but Sporting has common sense, it keeps its word.
‘One thing you must already know is me higher. Threats, blackmail and insults don’t work with me. I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres won’t leave for €60m plus €10m because I never promised him that.
‘This game that the agent is playing only makes the situation worse. To this present day, Sporting has not had a proposal for Viktor Gyokeres, neither today nor last season.’
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