Viktor Gyokeres intends to refuse to turn up to training with Sporting CP until they agree to allow him to leave for €70m this summer, according to a report.
Fabrizio Romano reports on his YouTube channel that Viktor Gyokeres has informed Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas that he doesn’t want to play for Sporting again and he won’t show up for training, as he wants his pact with the club to be respected.
That pact was supposedly that Gyokeres would be allowed to leave for €60m (£51.4m) plus €10m (£8.6m) in add-ons.
But Varandas has claimed the pact was actually just that they wouldn’t demand his €100m release clause, with no specific discussions on a €70m package.
Sporting reportedly want €80-85m, and Romano says Gyokeres feels “betrayed” and “sad” that they won’t let him leave for the €70m he believes they previously agreed on. The situation is now “really tense”.
“I’m not going to say what the price is, the player knows what it is,” Varandas said at the weekend. “I can tell you that Viktor won’t leave for €60m+€10m. He won’t, he just won’t.”
Romano adds that Gyokeres’ priority transfer is to join Arsenal, if possible. Manchester United are still following the situation, as are a number of other clubs, but the player wants to play for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Sporting are set to begin their pre-season preparations on Tuesday, July 1st, with friendlies lined up from July 16th onwards. Player and club are in line for a stand-off unless something changes before then.