Sporting president Frederico Varandas has warned Arsenal that the Portuguese club will not be forced into selling Viktor Gyokeres on the cheap this summer.
The Gunners have already wrapped up the signings of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard this summer, while Chelsea winger Noni Madueke is edging closer to being confirmed as a new Arsenal player.
Arsenal have been working for weeks on a deal for a new striker with sporting director Andrea Berta negotiating for Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.
The Gunners eventually decided Gyokeres was their top target but talks have stalled over the last week after Arsenal and Sporting couldn’t agree a fee.
There were rumours that a deal for Gyokeres could now be on the verge of collapse but transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed earlier this week that a “deal is absolutely on”.
Romano explained: “Arsenal remain in conversations with Sporting for the striker and the deal is absolutely on. There is still a small gap in valuation, still a gap between the two clubs, so it’s a work in progress between Arsenal and Sporting to reach an agreement.
“What’s important to say is that Viktor Gyokeres will not show up in training anymore for Sporting. The player’s intention is very clear – it’s valid for today, tomorrow, and any other day at this stage of the summer transfer window.
“Gyokeres only wants to go to Arsenal. He believes his story with Sporting is over, he wants to leave the club to try something different. So, the agreement between Gyokeres and Arsenal remains valid – a five-year contract until 2030. It’s also important to be clear that he’s more than given his priority to the Gunners – he only wants to play for Mikel Arteta.”
And Romano confirmed in his latest update that Gyokeres was on strike by refusing to show up to training, the transfer expert added on X: ‘Viktor Gyökeres will not show up in training at Sporting today, tomorrow or at any moment this summer. His decision is clear as reported during the week: he only wants Arsenal, it’s over with Sporting. Gyokeres also informed Sporting president about that 5 days ago.’
But Varandas was unfazed by Gyokeres’ no show at training with the Sporting president insisting that the striker could be met with a heavy fine once the window is closed.
Varandas said: “If the geniuses who are devising this strategy think this puts pressure on me to facilitate an exit, they are not only completely wrong but are also making the player’s exit conditions even more complicated.
“No one is above the interests of the club, whoever they are.
“If they don’t want to pay for Viktor fair market value, we are perfectly comfortable with this for the next three years [the time left on Gyokeres’ contract].
“We are calm about all this. Everything can be resolved with a market closure, a heavy fine, and an apology to the group.”
Gyokeres revealed in an interview with France Football, published on Saturday, that he wants a move to the Premier League with a club “that really wants” him.
The former Coventry City striker said: “If something is going to happen, it will happen. The most important thing for me is to play for a club that really wants me.”
