Shocking Twist: Man Utd and Arsenal Face "Blackmail" Claims in Viktor Gyokeres Chase
Sporting CP's chief Frederico Varandas has cautioned potential buyers of Viktor Gyökeres that the star striker won't be sold cheaply, and has claimed the player's representative attempted to "blackmail" the club.
Following two seasons of consistently scoring nearly a goal per match, Gyökeres is expected to depart from the Portuguese powerhouse this summer. Premier League giants Arsenal and Manchester United are frequently mentioned as interested parties, while Spanish club Atlético Madrid has also reportedly shown interest.
The prospect of acquiring Gyökeres seemed more feasible due to rumors of a "gentleman's agreement" with Sporting that would permit his transfer for significantly below his €100 million (£84.6 million, $114.3 million) release clause. It was believed that an acceptable offer would consist of €60 million (£50.8 million, $68.6 million) upfront plus €10 million (£8.5 million, $11.4 million) in performance-related bonuses.
However, just as Manchester United appeared to intensify their efforts to secure the prolific goal-scorer, reports emerged suggesting Sporting had backed out of this informal arrangement.
Varandas confirmed these reports with a strong declaration on Wednesday morning. "Sporting will not insist on the full release clause, but they should know me better by now: threats, blackmail, insults, they don't work with me," the president told A BOLA during an event at the club's museum.
"I can assure one thing," Varandas added, "Viktor Gyökeres will not depart for €60 million + €10 million. He won't leave because I never agreed to it, and his agent's approach is only making matters worse."
The forthright president further stated: "Today is the 11th, what's the time? 11:45? Up until now, Sporting hasn't received a single offer for Viktor Gyökeres, not today nor last summer."
Prior to this announcement, both Arsenal and Manchester United had been exploring alternative striker options. Arsenal has been making progress in discussions with RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Šeško, while Ruben Amorim's attention seems to remain focused on securing a deal for Brentford's versatile attacker Bryan Mbeumo.