Swedish international Viktor Gyökeres has reportedly been given an extended summer holiday while Sporting Lisbon negotiate a move to the Premier League.
The 27-year-old striker is all but certain to leave the Portuguese giants in this transfer window and appears to be in the middle of a tug-of-war between Arsenal and Manchester United.
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Gyökeres originally thought he would prefer a move to the Emirates, but has now changed his mind and now gives priority to Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United, as Arsenal are slow.
However, no agreement has been reached either on the club or personal side, and Gyökeres was supposed to return to Sporting for pre-season training on July 1. The former Brighton and Coventry player had no intention of playing for the club again, and it was even claimed that he was willing to go on strike to force a transfer.
Sporting gives Gyökeres extra time
According to the Daily Mail), Sporting have informed the 27-year-old that he does not have to appear until July 7, increasing the chances that Arsenal and Manchester United could strike a deal in early July.
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Sporting are not obliged to sell Gyökeres for less than £85.4 million (his buyout clause), but club president Frederico Varandas has publicly stated that he will not demand the full sum.
Varandas justified this by saying that “no player” leaves the Portuguese league for that much money at the age of 27, but he has also vehemently denied rumours of a gentleman’s deal between the club and the player’s agents.
Earlier speculation suggested that Gyökeres could be sold for under £60 million as a gesture of appreciation, but Sporting are now expected to hold out for a sum close to £70 million for a striker who scored 54 goals in 52 games last year.
Manchester United in the driver’s seat
After reportedly not receiving as much interest as expected, Gyökeres has changed his mind after initially rejecting Manchester United and is now open to a reunion with Amorim at Old Trafford.
The Swede could form a fearsome attacking line alongside Matheus Cunha and either Bruno Fernandes or Bryan Mbeumo, but United will likely need to sell before they can buy in this case.
Arsenal hesitates – Sesko still an option
Arsenal, on the other hand, could easily have made a deal for Gyökeres right now, but the London club have yet to decide whether he or RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Šeško is their main target.
Gyökeres’ desire to join Arsenal means that he is likely to accept a transfer even though he knows he is not the first choice. But Arsenal have been following Šeško for over a year and could see it as a waste of time if they give up now.
Thus, if Manchester United manage to raise the necessary funds – either through player sales or by putting their Mbeumo plans on hold – Gyökeres could be theirs for the taking.
