Nani makes Viktor Gyokeres prediction amid Man Utd and Arsenal transfer talks | Football

Nani has dismissed rumours that Viktor Gyokeres could go on strike at Sporting and expects the ‘skilled’ forward to show up for pre-season training if he continues to be on the club’s books.

Gyokeres’ future has been the topic of intense speculation on the back of a powerful second season with Sporting, by which he scored 54 goals in 52 games to assist steer the side to a domestic double.

It’s understood Arsenal and Manchester United have each held talks with Gyokeres’ camp with a view to bringing the 27-year-old to the Premier League, though neither club has managed to strike a take care of Sporting at this stage.

Gyokeres is assumed to favour a switch to the Emirates and Arsenal’s sporting director, Andrea Berta, met with Gyokeres’ agent, Hasan Cetinkaya, to debate a move for the prolific Swede last month.

However the Gunners failed with a gap offer of £46.8m – plus £8.5m in add-ons – for Gyokeres and Sporting’s president, Frederico Varandas, has accused Cetinkaya of ‘making the situation worse’ along with his behaviour.

While Gyokeres has a €100m (£85.1m) release clause in his contract in Lisbon, the attacker had been under the impression he could leave Sporting should the club receive a suggestion within the region of £59m.

Nevertheless, Varandas has flat-out denied the existence of a supposed gentleman’s agreement with the striker’s camp and this has left Gyokeres ‘furious’, based on some reports in Portugal.

There have even been some suggestions that the previous Coventry man could refuse to indicate up for pre-season training so as to force through a transfer to England.

Asked whether expects Gyokeres to show as much as training, ex-United and Sporting winger Nani said: ‘I consider so, he’s an expert. I consider he’ll show up.

‘If he doesn’t show up it’s because he’s going to a different club.’

Nani – who swapped Sporting for Old Trafford in 2007 – believes Gyokeres will proceed to receive ‘the proper support’, whether or not he moves on from the Portuguese champions this summer.

‘He’s a unbelievable player, who has done lots for Sporting and has several clubs desirous about him,’ the four-time Premier League winner added.

‘He knows that there’s a variety of interest and it’s natural that there’s some anxiety until he has his life sorted out.

‘It starts to create that anxiety, but I’m sure that, whether he stays or leaves, he can have the proper support and might be satisfied.’

Nani is confident Sporting will herald sufficient cover for Gyokeres should the Sweden international up sticks and leave.

He continued: ‘If Gyokeres leaves, it was already planned and Sporting’s management actually have all the pieces ready to interchange him.

‘Sporting had a really strong team with Gyokeres, but in addition they produce other good players and can quickly herald someone to compensate.

‘I consider it would be one other positive yr for Sporting, by which they are going to play good football and win again.’

While Nani stays hopeful that Gyokeres could proceed his stick with Sporting, he insists he has no inside information on what is going on behind the scenes.

‘In the event you ask me if I need him to remain, after all I do,’ he explained.

‘€80 million is a variety of money, but I’m not the president of Sporting, I’m not the one who invested in Gyokeres and I don’t know what’s occurring behind the scenes or what the plans were.

‘Now, he’s an awesome player and he’s all the time price whatever they offer him. If they offer him a bit of more, that’s fair too.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the most recent news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

MORE: Kaoru Mitoma makes decision on future amid Arsenal transfer interest

MORE: Joe Cole tells £40m star he ‘has to depart’ Liverpool this summer

MORE: Chelsea urged to avoid making ‘crazy’ £50m transfer ‘mistake’