Arsenal have held fresh talks with Viktor Gyokeres’ agent over a summer deal for the Sporting CP striker, according to reports in Portugal.
Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Juventus have all expressed their interest in signing the Sweden international this summer after another impressive campaign in which he scored 54 goals in 52 matches, and helped Sporting win the domestic league and cup double.
Sporting have been open to selling Gyokeres in the summer transfer window for lower than his €100 million (£83.8m) release clause.
However, Sporting’s president, Frederico Varandas, hit out at Gyokeres and his agent on Wednesday over suggestions that a set fee had been agreed ahead of the window.
Meanwhile, CNN Portugal and Portuguese newspaper Record reported on Wednesday evening that Arsenal’s hierarchy met with Gyokeres’ representative, Hasan Cetinkaya, on Wednesday and an official offer from the Gunners is now expected.
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It’s claimed that Gyokeres has informed his agent that he wants to join Arsenal ahead of United, Chelsea or Juventus.
CNN Portugal reporter Nuno Farinha said: ‘Arsenal are the club that Gyokeres has wanted from the very beginning.
‘Gyokeres wants to play for Arsenal, he has stated this desire very openly to his agent.
‘Officially, there has not been an offer yet, but there have been many contacts. This time, it seems that there will be [an offer].’
Speaking earlier on Wednesday, Varandas told Gyokeres and his agent that he would not be ‘blackmailed’ into accepting a low offer for the striker this summer.
‘It was agreed that Sporting would not demand the release clause at the end of the following season, especially because he was going to be 27,’ Varandas said.
‘Then, we knew Viktor’s dream of going to a club where he could fight for the Champions League and we have common sense. We guaranteed that we would not demand €100 million.
‘In that meeting, the agent wanted to anchor the departure to a value, he spoke of €60 million, €70 million… And I said “there’s no point in setting a value because I don’t know what will happen here in a year, if he gets injured, if he has a disappointing season.
‘There’s no point in setting a value, I don’t know if it will be €40m, €60m or €80m. What I can guarantee is that I will not demand €100 million”.
‘From then on, I never spoke to the agent again, I never spoke to the player about departures and values.
‘Ten months have passed and I see the agent in the press spouting information here and there, but Sporting has common sense, it keeps its word.
‘One thing you should already know is me better. Threats, blackmail and insults don’t work with me. I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for €60m plus €10m because I never promised him that.
‘This game that the agent is playing only makes the situation worse. To this day, Sporting has not had an offer for Viktor Gyokeres, neither today nor last season.’
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