Viktor Gyokeres’ potential exit from Sporting in the summer has never been a secret, with Chelsea and other clubs showing up as likely destinations for him.
It turns out that with Ruben Amorim now also close to the exit door, the striker’s agent came forward to reveal that the manager’s departure could lead to the striker’s move as well.
So as the coach today held a press conference, he had to talk about the statements made by Gyokeres representative. The quotes come from O Jogo, and show that the Sporting boss is doing his best to calm down the whole situation.
“All the players are dependent on the coach, because if they don’t train well, they won’t play tomorrow. And if they don’t play tomorrow, they won’t play against Famalicão or the next game. That’s a certainty. Not just Viktor, but the future of all the players depends on the coach. It’s part of the team dynamic. Destabilise? I don’t see it that way. We want the players to focus on the game, that’s why I’m clear about my situation, I think the buzz will end now.”
Gyokeres has 36 goals and 15 assists since joining Sporting in a move from Coventry City last summer. That makes him an obvious target for many clubs who are in need of a new centre-forward, and the Portuguese media often claims Chelsea are one of the main contenders for the signing.
The Lions only paid €21m to buy him, but now have him protected by a €100m release clause, and Chelsea will have to get close to that to land him.
