Choice between Man Utd and Arsenal made, as transfer fee truths revealed

Which of Arsenal and Manchester United Viktor Gyokeres would rather sign for has emerged, while Fabrizio Romano has shed new light on the controversy surrounding the expected transfer fee.

Gyokeres is a man in demand after putting up extraordinary numbers at Sporting CP over the past two seasons. The 27-year-old bagged 97 goals and 28 assists in just 102 appearances and helped fire Sporting to successive Primeira Liga titles.

Accordingly, the big hitters in the Premier League have taken note, with Arsenal and Man Utd both circling. From further afield, Juventus have made enquiries and Al-Hilal – who can offer by far the biggest salary – are present.

A move to the Premier League looks the likeliest outcome at this stage. Man Utd have made initial approaches via intermediaries and Gyokeres is open to joining the Red Devils despite their lack of Champions League football.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are simultaneously ramping up deals for Gyokeres AND Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig.

The Gunners only intend to sign one of the two, with the purpose of accelerating both deals to ensure they’re not left empty-handed if one deal collapses.

Arsenal are understood to have placed greater emphasis on landing Sesko, though according to CNN Portugal, it’s the Gunners who Gyokeres would rather join if and when he does leave Lisbon.

That is not to say Gyokeres is unwilling to sign for Man Utd. On the contrary, it simply means that in a straight fight between the two clubs, it’s Arsenal who Gyokeres would favour.

That gives Mikel Arteta’s men an advantage, though as mentioned, it’s Sesko who they’re prioritising for the time being.

The Slovenian is projected to cost around €80m / £68m which initially at least, made him the more expensive of the two strikers they’re pursuing…

Viktor Gyokeres transfer fee confusion clarified

A verbal pact was struck between Gyokeres, his agents and Sporting’s hierarchy last summer.

The pact ensured Sporting would allow Gyokeres to leave the club in the summer of 2025 for a figure below his €100m release clause. A fee of between €65m-€70m has most often been cited.

However, that informal agreement was overseen by Sporting’s former director, Hugo Viana, who is now with Manchester City.

With Viana out of the picture, Sporting and their president, Frederico Varandas, are now demanding a higher fee if cashing in.

In quotes carried by the BBC, Varandas said: “I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60m euros plus 10m euros because I never promised that.

“To this day Sporting has not had an offer for Gyokeres – neither today nor last season.”

The Sporting president added: “One of the agent’s biggest concerns was whether we would demand the termination clause.

“He wanted to guarantee certain things. And what was agreed? That Sporting would not demand a release clause now.

“For one reason: he was going to be 27 years old and no player leaves Portugal at 27 for 100m euros or 90m euros.

“In that same meeting the agent wanted to anchor the exit to a value. I said this sentence: ‘It’s not worth us setting a value because I don’t know what will happen in a year’s time. I don’t know if it will be 40m euros, 60m euros or 80m euros. What I can guarantee is that I will not demand 100 million euros.’”

Gyokeres has not taken Sporting’s change of stance well and taking to social media, posted: “There’s a lot of talk at the moment, most of it is false. I will speak when the time is right.”

There has been some confusion as to precisely what Gyokeres was referring to. Indeed, there have been eye-opening reports from Portuguese outlet Record that claimed Gyokeres has told Sporting he’ll never play for the club again and could even go on strike.

But taking to YouTube to shed new light on the saga, Fabrizio Romano confirmed Gyokeres’ social media post was in response to Sporting’s president.

Romano said: “The latest is a statement from Gyokeres on his social media accounts saying many of the things he saw around these days are false, and that he’ll speak at the right moment.

“The message is a clear and strong message against the president of Sporting.”

Romano went on to reaffirm the verbal pact WAS made, though with Lisbon’s former director, Viana.

He then added: “Sporting believe they can ask for more money, so it’s a tense situation.”

On Arsenal and Man Utd, Romano concluded: “Man Utd keep calling for Gyokeres on a daily basis, to understand the situation, his price and all the rest.

“Remember again that Gyokeres remains on the list at Arsenal because Arsenal have not closed any other deal, so we still have to consider Gyokeres a concrete option for Arsenal.

“Then we have to see what’s going to happen with the pricing as that’s going to be the crucial part of the story.”

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