Swedish police reportedly suspect that the transfer of Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP to Arsenal led to an attempted shooting in Stockholm.
Gyokeres swapped Sporting for Arsenal this summer after a long and drawn-out transfer saga. The striker has joined the Gunners in a transfer worth £64 million (€74m/$86m), signing a long-term contract at the club. The transfer is now being linked to a shooting and blackmail plot in the Swedish capital, which is being investigated by police, according to Swedish newspaper ETC.
The shooting reportedly took place at a house in Huddinge, Stockholm and the target was the relative of a football agent. Two shots were fired but nobody was hit, with investigating police now suspecting the shooting is linked to an extortion plot in relation to the Gyokeres transfer. The striker is represented by the Hasan Cetinkaya Management agency, who would have taken a portion of the hefty transfer fee. The agent involved in the deal is believed to have posted an update on social media, confirming he was part of the Gyokeres transfer, which has subsequently led to blackmail attempts.
Gyokeres’s transfer to Arsenal was anything but smooth and saw a war of words break out between the striker’s camp and Sporting. The striker missed the start of pre-season with the Portuguese side and was subsequently sanctioned by the club. There was also talk of blackmail claims and broken promises before the Sweden international was eventually given the green light to head to the Emirates Stadium and join Mikel Arteta’s side.
Gyokeres is currently preparing to make his Premier League debut. The striker is expected to start on Sunday when Arsenal take on Manchester United at Old Trafford.