On Thursday morning, we covered reports from the Portuguese media about the drama around Viktor Gyökeres at the moment.
Whilst Arsenal, Manchester United and Juventus interest was mentioned, the Gunners were thought to be ahead and it was claimed an offer was expected to arrive in the next few hours.
Arsenal had held a meeting with the striker’s representatives on Wednesday as they try to work out an offer which Sporting will accept. Gyökeres’ camp have been telling the Portuguese media repeatedly that the Lisbon club made a verbal agreement to sell their player for €60m plus €10m in potential bonuses rather than his €100m release clause.
Sporting have very strongly, and very publicly, denied this, and it looks like the situation may get messier.
A little earlier, Mais Futebol and CNN Portugal reported Arsenal have submitted an offer, now A Bola report the same.
According to A Bola, Arsenal have proposed – wait for it – below the €60m plus a potential €10m in bonus payments.
Over at Record, they apparently have the figures.
Arsenal are said to have offered €55m plus €10m in bonus payments, with the offer made on Wednesday afternoon.
Record state: ‘The offer was presented yesterday, at a meeting that took place in Menorca, Spain, and which brought together the Gunners’ sporting director, Andrea Berta, a lawyer for the London club and Sporting’s general director of football, Bernardo Palmeiro, representing the green and white SAD.’
That was never going to be accepted and it could be the player’s agent is trying to pile the pressure on and drag the price down. Arsenal are expected to continue negotiations and a fresh offer could arrive in the coming days.
