Viktor Gyökeres, after scoring 54 goals this season, is at the center of a heated transfer battle. Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas rejects pressure, denies rumors of promises, and accuses the striker’s agent of manipulation, insisting the €100M clause must be met.
Viktor Gyökeres is at the heart of one of the most intense transfer sagas of the summer, and his situation is already shaping up to be one of the defining stories of the European football market.
After an astonishing season with Sporting Clube de Portugal, the Swedish striker has become a top target for several of Europe’s biggest clubs. However, Sporting, through its president Frederico Varandas, has drawn a clear line: no one is taking Gyökeres unless they pay the full €100 million release clause. In the background, accusations of blackmail, media manipulation, and agent pressure have turned this transfer race into a full-blown standoff.
Gyökeres joined Sporting in 2023 from Coventry City in a move that many considered bold at the time the Portuguese club spent around €20 million. Since then, he has exceeded all expectations. This past season, he racked up a jaw-dropping 54 goals and 13 assists across all competitions. The season before, he had already proven his worth with 43 goals and 15 assists. In total, 97 goals in two seasons numbers that few strikers in Europe can match.
Naturally, his extraordinary performances have attracted interest from major clubs, particularly in the Premier League. Arsenal have long been linked with the player, but this week Manchester United also entered the conversation, reportedly preparing to spend big once again on another marquee forward. According to English outlets, United are considering a €70 million bid, hoping to lure the Swedish star to Old Trafford.
But Sporting’s president isn’t budging. Varandas addressed the situation in a press conference, directly responding to the mounting speculation. He revealed that he had been insulted, threatened, and even blackmailed during the transfer saga though he declined to name specific individuals or groups. “Let me be very clear: that doesn’t work on me. Viktor Gyökeres is one of the best players to ever play in Portuguese football. And Sporting does not realistically expect the release clause to be paid but we also won’t accept anything less based on fabricated pressure,” said Varandas.
He took aim specifically at Gyökeres’ agent, accusing him of playing games behind the scenes to force a move. One of the most controversial claims circulating is that Sporting had allegedly promised to let Gyökeres go for €60 million. Reports from Sky Sports even suggest that the player himself is angry with the club for not honoring that supposed agreement. Varandas categorically denied this version: “I never made such a promise. That story is a fabrication it’s a tactic being used by the agent to create pressure and manipulate the narrative.”
The Sporting president was adamant that the club has received no official offers not this summer, and not last summer either. “People can say what they want, but Sporting has not received a single concrete bid for Gyökeres. There’s a lot of noise, a lot of media speculation, but no official offers. He has a contract with us for three more years, and unless the full release clause is met, he’s staying.”
This firm stance marks a departure from previous years when Sporting, like many Portuguese clubs, was often forced to sell talent below market value due to financial pressures or agent influence. Under Varandas, Sporting is trying to assert itself not just as a development club, but as a strong institution that won't be bullied. “We want to compete at the highest level. That means not undervaluing our players just because of media noise or agent games. Sporting is now a healthy, respected club and we’re not in a position where we have to sell,” he stated.
Gyökeres himself has remained silent publicly throughout the unfolding drama. On one hand, his silence can be seen as respectful; on the other, it raises questions about whether he’s growing frustrated behind the scenes. The tension between club and agent is palpable, and while the player hasn’t spoken, his camp clearly wants movement.
With the European Championship around the corner and the transfer window heating up, the Gyökeres saga is far from over. Whether this ends in a record-breaking transfer or in Sporting holding firm and keeping their star striker remains to be seen. What’s certain is that Gyökeres has become more than just a name on the scoresheet he’s now at the center of a battle for power, value, and principle in modern football.
