Viktor Gyokeres 'fearing the worst' over Arsenal transfer as worrying new details emerge

Viktor Gyokeres will look to secure a loan deal late in the transfer window, with claims that talks between Sporting and Arsenal have reached an impasse. The Sweden international has made it clear that he wishes to join the Gunners this summer, and has no intention of playing for his current side again.

Manchester United have been credited with an interest previously, but Arsenal have long been in pole position to land his signature. Sporting director Andrea Berta was in Portugal to try and strike an agreement, but Record claim that negotiators have now left Lisbon with the two clubs still wide apart in their valuations.

A deal now being completed will rely on one of the two sides finally making a compromise, with reports in Portugal suggesting Arsenal are again willing to walk away from negotiations.

And it is said that Gyokeres and his representatives are now fearing the worst that a deal may not be completed. Should it not become a reality, he'll look to fix up a loan move to a fellow European club, with the striker adamant that he will not appear for Sporting again.

That is the same move that Victor Osimhen opted for last summer when there was no resolution to his future. It became clear that he was surplus to requirements at Napoli and the Nigerian headed to Turkey to play with Galatasaray for the season, where he was prolific.

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Reports in The Sun claim that Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce are among those keeping tabs on the Swede in case Gyokeres needs a loan move this summer. Juventus have also been monitoring the situation.

Arsenal want to add a No.9 this summer and have turned their attention from Red Bull Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko to Gyokeres, after scoring an staggering 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting since August 2023.

Arsenal remain locked in talks with his club, who want their asking price of £60m up front with £8m in add-ons to follow that. Personal terms are already in place on a five-year-deal and the add-ons in the deal relate to goal and trophy bonuses.

Gyokeres has, it's claimed, told the Portuguese club that he will never play for them again in an attempt to push the deal through. He will also boycott pre-season training after clashing with the team's hierarchy. Sporting players returned on Monday, but Gyokeres has been given extra days off to fix up a move away.

This anger stems from a belief that the Portuguese champions have gone against a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ to allow him to leave this summer for around £60m, despite his current contract running until 2028, but club bosses claim that was never the case and they want to retain their top talent.

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