Arsenal are still yet to strike an agreement for Viktor Gyokeres.
Andrea Berta remains in negotiations with Sporting CP over a deal for the Sweden international, who is doing everything he can to force through a move to the Emirates Stadium.
Gyokeres has even given up £1.7m in wages in order to sign for Arsenal, although Sporting CP are standing firm, with Club President Frederico Varandas saying: “If they don’t want to pay Viktor’s fair market value, we’ll be very comfortable with that for the next three years.
“If the geniuses who are devising this strategy think this puts pressure on me to make it easier for him to leave, not only are they completely wrong, but they are also making it more complicated for the player to leave.”
Now – according to Fabrizio Romano on YouTube – Sporting CP are causing more problems for Arsenal in discussions over Viktor Gyokeres.
The reliable Italian journalist has now revealed the following.
“The agents of the player are still in London. Last night, we had reports of the deal on the verge of collapsing. From what I’m told, the conversation is still ongoing between all parties involved, Arsenal, Sporting, agents, to sort the final point, the add-ons.
“Now, the agent did everything possible because he’s going to reduce his commission. Arsenal also doing their best by paying more than what they expected. They initially expected €60m (£52m) plus €10m (£8.7m) in add-ons. They are now at €63.5m (£55m) plus €10m (£8.7m) in add-ons.
“Now, Sporting want even more. Sporting want the €10m (£8.7m) in add-ons to be very easy, almost guaranteed add-ons, while Arsenal want part of it to be quite easy and part of it to be quite difficult, so the conversation is continuing.
“The player keeps giving absolute priority to Arsenal. His five-year contract at Arsenal is ready… for sure, the situation is tense… at the moment, nothing has collapsed, nothing is off.”
Arsenal do have money to spend, but with Berta also eyeing a deal for Eberechi Eze – and with £52m being spent on Noni Madueke too – the Italian is understandably attempting to sign Gyokeres for as little as possible.
Any Arsenal fan who is angry with Varandas would be wise to recall what happened when Tottenham tried to sign Pedro Porro in January 2023.
The Sporting CP President also dug his heels in over the Spain international at the time, pulling the plug on his £39m move to Spurs – a development which David Ornstein of The Athletic claimed left the defender “distraught” at the time.
However, Varandas quickly backed down, and eventually sanctioned the £39m sale in the final hours of that 2023 January transfer window.
Therefore, while the President of Sporting CP may succeed in causing a frustrating delay to this deal, we doubt he will succeed in getting it called off completely.
