The agent of Viktor Gyokeres is reportedly threatening to release a recording confirming the existence of the €70 million exit agreement struck with Sporting CP last year as Manchester United continue to circle for the 27-year-old striker.
The Red Devils are on the hunt for a new number nine after the club’s worst season in the Premier League era with only 44 league goals in total. The senior striking partnership of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee combined for a paltry seven goals between them.
Advances were made to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town but the England U-21 international rejected United’s offer in favour of a switch to Chelsea. But Ruben Amorim is thought to have always preferred a reunion with his former protégé in Lisbon, Gyokeres, over the young English striker.
There was belief amongst suitors of the Sporting frontman that the Portuguese club would accept an offer this summer worth €70 million (€60m + €10m in add-ons), despite his contract containing a €100 million release clause.
This was because Gyokeres’ agent, Hasan Centikaya, had struck a gentleman’s agreement with Sporting to compromise on the release clause as it was unlikely a top European side would pay such a figure for a 27-year-old player from Liga Portugal, regardless of their goal-scoring prowess.
However, in an explosive twist, Sporting president Frederico Varandas publicly rejected this arrangement had been reached, instead revealing the club had simply agreed to accept a fee lower than the release clause, but now as low as €70 million.
The president accused Gyokeres’ camp of “blackmail and insults” and stated only “one thing is certain: Sporting will not accept 60 million plus 10. As of today, Sporting has not received any proposal for Gyokeres.”
Gyokeres’ response was furious. The striker removed any reference to Sporting in his social media account and informed the Lions he would not play for them again. He has since refused any further rapprochement with the club.
And now, Centikaya has claimed he has an audio recording from Hugo Viana – Sporting’s former director, now at Manchester City – which “confirm[s] the gentlemen’s agreement to allow Gyökeres to leave for €60 million + €10 million, following the meeting held on September 19th last year,” Portuguese outlet Record reveals.
Centikaya also threatens to expose a clause in Gyokeres’ contract which stipulates the Sweden international will receive a “penalty of €6 million if Sporting…rejects a €60 million offer,” further heightening this war of words.
It constitutes the latest chapter in a dramatic transfer saga which has engulfed Portuguese football in recent weeks. And it presents a complicated situation for Old Trafford executives to contend with.
On the one hand, Gyokeres remains Amorim’s “dream” target in a position widely acknowledged as an urgent priority this summer. The 27-year-old is a major upgrade on existing options and, if Centikaya proves, he is available for around €70 million (£59m), it is a reasonable price for a striker with 97 goals in 102 games in Lisbon.
On the other hand, this is a toxic situation with blame on both sides. If Centikaya’s claims are unfounded, it reflects terribly on Gyokeres. And it feels convenient the agent has produced a recording nine days after the president’s accusations of blackmail.
Furthermore, there are sufficient doubts over Gyokeres as a big-money target – a 27-year-old striker with zero experience in a major European league who has been something of a flat-track bully in Portugal – to demand caution over a move. There are reported to be senior figures at Old Trafford who hold this view in disagreement with their head coach.
Gyokeres has also signalled his intention to prioritise Champions League football next season with Arsenal believed to be his first-choice option ahead of United.
But, by all accounts, the Red Devils remain interested in Gyokeres but have begun exploring alternative options, such as Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, while advancing a move for Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo.
But if the next chapter in the Gyokeres’ tale involves Sporting being forced to accept a £59 million proposal, United will find it difficult to turn down the chance to reunite the Swede with his former manager in a blockbuster switch to Manchester.
Featured image Carlos Rodrigues via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
