Sporting Lisbon president Frederico Varandas has made it clear their star striker Viktor Gyokeres will not be allowed to leave the club for £59m (€70m) this summer.
The Sporting CP star has scored 97 goals and added 28 assists in just 102 appearances for the Portuguese giants, attracting the interest of clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.
Varandas spoke on Wednesday to douse speculation that a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ existed with Gyokeres’ agent that allowed the striker to leave for a fixed fee of £50.8m (€60m) plus £8.4m (€10m) in add-ons.
A furious Gyokeres is reportedly threatening to never play for Sporting again if the club renege on the promise they made when they convinced him to stay for one more season.
“I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60m euros plus 10m euros because I never promised that. To this day, Sporting has not received an offer for Gyokeres – neither today nor last summer.”
Varandas has insisted the striker can be bought for less than his €100m release clause but what the actual amount should be will be subject to an open negotiation with interested clubs.
“What was agreed in that meeting? That Sporting would not demand the release clause [this summer]. For one reason, it was because we know no player leaves Portugal at 27 for €100m or €90m euros.
“In that same meeting the agent wanted to anchor the exit to a value.
“I said this sentence: ‘It’s not worth us setting a value because I don’t know what will happen in a year’s time. I don’t know if it will be 40m euros, 60m or 80m. What I can guarantee is that I will not demand 100m euros.'”
”This game that the agent is playing only makes the situation worse. To this day, Sporting has not had an offer for Viktor Gyokeres, neither today nor last season.’
