Arsenal on alert as lower clause for Viktor Gyokeres is activated
Both Arsenal and Manchester United have held extensive talks to sign Gyokeres this summer but have not reached an agreement over a transfer fee with Sporting.
Last month, Arsenal's sporting director, Andrea Berta, met with his counterpart at Sporting, Bernardo Palmeiro, in Menorca to discuss a deal for the striker, who finished last season with 54 goals in 52 appearances and helped the Portuguese club win the league and cup double.
However, Arsenal's initial bid worth an €55m (£46.8m) plus €10m (£8.5m) in add-ons was rejected.
Gyokeres has a €100 million (£85.1m) release clause in his contract but Sporting have been willing to sell the Sweden international for lower than that amount.
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However, Sporting's president, Frederico Varandas was angered by claims that the club have agreed to sell Gyokeres for €60m (£51m) plus €10m (£8.5m) in add-ons and warned the striker's representative, Hasan Cetinkaya, that he is 'making the situation worse'.
According to A Bola, during his negotiations to bring Gyokeres to Sporting in a £20m deal from Coventry City two years ago, Cetinkaya secured an exclusive sales mandate which means that Sporting will be required to pay the agent 10 per cent of the value of any rejected offer above €60m (£51m).
Sporting have warned Cetinkaya that if the clause in Gyokeres' contract is activated, they will demand that the striker's €100m (£85.1m) release clause is met.
The Portuguese club are understood to be willing to sell Gyokeres if their €80m (£68.6m) asking price is met.
Speaking on Sunday, Varandas maintained that Gyokeres is set to leave Sporting this summer but insists the 27-year-old will not be sold below market value. More Trending
'If you ask me today, there is a strong possibility that Viktor will leave,' Varandas said.
'In the last few weeks, we have been keeping an eye on the market, I saw a player like [Martin] Zubimendi, who is six months younger than Viktor, go to Arsenal for €65 million (£55m).
'I saw two players being sold in the Premier League – Matheus Cunha and [Bryan] Mbeumo – forwards who do not have the quality of Viktor, in my opinion. [They] were sold for around €75 million (£64m). We are talking about players who are 26 years old.
'So, given the demands we make in relation to Viktor's value, I believe he could leave, unless he has the worst agent in the world. Which I find hard to believe, because he is one of the best footballers in the world.'
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