According to a new source, a first concrete bid for wantaway Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres was made and presented at a meeting in Spain on Wednesday.
The race to sign Gyokeres has been the most significant transfer story of the summer so far.
A number of clubs are rumored to be interested in the Sweden international, including Juventus, Al-Qadsiah, and new Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad, but Manchester United and Arsenal appear to be the front runners.
Earlier this week, Fabrizio Romano said United had established “new contacts” over a potential trade for the former Brighton and Coventry striker, who worked under Ruben Amorim at Sporting.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are looking for a new striker. Benjamin Sesko has been strongly linked with a move to North London, but it appears the Gunners are stepping up their pursuit of Gyokeres.
According to Portuguese daily Record, Arsenal made their first solid offer for the 27-year-old at a meeting in Menorca, Spain.
According to reports, the meeting on Wednesday included Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta, a Premier League lawyer, and Sporting’s general director of football, Bernardo Palmeiro.
However, according to A Bola, the offer submitted to Sporting was rejected because it fell “slightly below” the €60 million + €10 million number given by Sporting president Frederico Varandas, who insisted he would not leave for that amount.
The source goes on to say that this meeting was only the first round of negotiations, and the Gunners “want to close this process with some urgency” since Manchester United remains linked.
Gyokeres, meantime, is at odds with the club’s senior brass, believing they have broken their word on a gentleman’s agreement on their asking price.
The striker believed he might fetch €60 million plus €10 million, but the club disagreed and will not sell him for that price, prompting him to apparently go on strike.
Earlier this week, Sporting president Frederico Varandas revealed that Gyokeres had received no genuine proposals. He also stated that the Swede will not leave the club for £59 million.
“I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for €60m plus €10m because I never promised that,” he told the newspaper A Bola. “To this day, Sporting has not had an offer for Gyokeres – neither today nor last season.”
Varandas claims Gyokeres’ representative requested assurances about potential leave last summer.
“One of the agent’s biggest concerns was whether we would demand the termination clause,” she said. “He wanted to guarantee some things. And what was the agreement? That Sporting would not seek a release clause right now.
“For one reason: he was going to be 27 years old and no player leaves Portugal at 27 for €100m or €90m.”
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