Viktor Gyökeres’ move to Arsenal is in danger of falling apart, as the Gunners and Sporting Lisbon fail to reach an agreement on the transfer fee.
“Here we go” message was premature
Fabrizio Romano claimed over the weekend that Gyökeres was very close to a move to the Emirates and that the famous “Here we Go” announcement was not far away.
Read: Supporters can finally breathe a sigh of relief – Manchester United solve the BIGGEST squad of players
However, according to Portuguese reports on Wednesday, this is far too early – in fact, Arsenal are even considering pulling out of the deal.
Negotiations Deadlocked
According to Record, Arsenal’s latest bid consists of a fixed sum of €65 million plus €15 million in bonuses. Sporting Lisbon, on the other hand, are demanding 70 million euros fixed plus bonuses.
There has reportedly been no progress in the negotiations since the weekend, and talks are completely blocked. Arsenal’s representatives in Lisbon – including sporting director Andrea Berta, who flew there last week – have now returned to London without closing the deal.
Arsenal consider giving up
The report adds that Arsenal are actually considering withdrawing from the deal.
What next?
Fabrizio Romano reported over the weekend that Gyökeres was on the verge of becoming an Arsenal player, and several media outlets followed up by claiming that the transfer would take place for €80 million.
However, the problem seems to lie in the payment structure. Arsenal and Gyökeres have already agreed on a contract until 2030, with wages and conditions in place.
Club and player in public conflict
A public power struggle has been going on all summer between the player’s representatives and the club regarding the sale price.
Gyökeres’ agents claim that Sporting broke a promise to sell him for around €60 million plus €10 million in bonuses – something Sporting denies having given.
Duncan Castles recently revealed on The Transfers Podcast that Gyökeres was very upset that Sporting did not keep their promise of a summer transfer for the said sum.
Read on F7: Former Sandefjord coach Marti Cifuentes on his way into big job in England
Special clause is activated
Castles added that there is a clause in the contract that states that Sporting must pay Gyökeres a fine of 6 million euros if they reject bids above 60 million euros.
Bola announced that this clause was activated on Tuesday, July 1. The 6 million will go to Gyökeres’ agent Hakan Çetinkaya, which means that Arsenal can put pressure on Sporting by bidding over this amount.
Hottest Striker of the Year
Gyökeres is currently the most sought-after striker after an incredible season in which he scored 54 goals in 52 games in all competitions and led Sporting to another league championship. This comes after an excellent last season, in which he scored 43 goals in total.
