Inside Gyokeres' row with Sporting as Arsenal target's agent claims he has ‘proof' club broke gentleman's agreement
VIKTOR GYOKERES has reportedly been embroiled in a heated fall-out with Sporting Lisbon amid a turbulent transfer saga.
And Gyokeres' agent has come in claiming he has proof of an alleged agreement that can allow the Manchester United and Arsenal target to leave for less than his astronomical release clause.
3
The 27-year-old has reportedly come to blows with club bosses after trying to force through a dream move to the Premier League.
The striker is allegedly furious with Sporting for going back on their word over a promise to lower his £84million asking price and plans not to play for the club again.
The Sweden international believes he had a gentleman's agreement to leave the Portuguese champions for £50m with a further £8m in add-ons.
But that claim has been denied by club president Frederico Varandas, who insisted he will not be bullied into letting Gyokeres move to the Premier League on the cheap this summer.
Varandas said: 'Sporting will not accept blackmail and insults – you should know me better by now.'
Gyokeres went on to break his silence with a brief statement on social media.
The ex-Coventry City star tried to play down the squabble rumours by throwing doubt on some of the reports.
Gyokeres posted: "There is a lot of talks at the moment, most of it is false. I will speak when the time is right."
Now Gyokeres' agent Hasan Cetinkaya has become the latest to speak out about the situation.
According to Aftonbladet, Cetinkaya stated he has written proof of the alleged gentleman's agreement with Sporting that proves his client can in fact leave for a cut price this summer after turning down offers last year.
Inside Viktor Gyokeres' glamorous life, from dating fellow footballer and actress to luxury holidays around world
Meanwhile, it has been reported that the forward has turned down a move to United.
SunSpoirt understand Man Utd are weighing up Napoli star Victor Osimhen as a potential plan B, although his high wages could pose as an obstacle.
Arsenal now appear to be in pole position for Gyokeres ahead of the summer transfer window.
The Gunners are rumoured to have had a £55million bid rejected by Sporting.
That is understood to have been met with anger from Gyokeres and the North Londoners are preparing a second offer.
Nevertheless, just like United, Arsenal are also looking at alternatives as they are chasing RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko.
3
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
31 minutes ago
- The Independent
Tatjana Maria crowned queen of Queen's as women's tournament celebrates triumphant return
Fifty-two years ago Olga Morozova was the last woman to lift the Queen's trophy. Her stint as defending champion lasted until Tatjana Maria lifted an enormous new trophy – the old one lost to the mists of time – on Sunday. It crowned a week in which the traditions of one of tennis' most hallowed tournaments merged with the contemporary drive to push women's sport to ever-greater heights. This time a year ago there was outrage from some quarters at the thought the women would return to Queen's after a fifty-year absence. Members of the prestigious west London club objected to their facilities being taken out of action for even longer than usual; there were concerns over wear on the grass ahead of the men's event. A bloc of Queen's members even attempted to force the board to resign over the concept of dragging the tournament into the 21st century. If that felt hideously backward last year, it appears even more near-sighted today, after a triumphant week for the rejuvenated women's event. (Even the British weather largely cooperated, barring a couple of rain delays early on.) And it felt fitting that the tournament's debut would have two trailblazers, in different ways, in the final. The surprise package of the week has been qualifier Tatjana Maria. A 37-year-old veteran of the tour, she took two breaks from the game to have daughters Charlotte, 11, and Cecilia, four, who accompany her – along with her coach-husband Charles-Edouard – to every tournament. The German reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon in 2022 but hasn't found the same level since, enduring a nine-match losing streak before coming to Queen's. 'It's the perfect example to never give up and always keep going, because I'm still here and living this dream,' she said on Friday. It certainly is. On the other side of the net was 23-year-old Amanda Anisimova, a former teenage prodigy, who showcased her incredible potential with a run to the French Open semi-finals aged just 17. Tennis abounds with cautionary tales of young stars who burn brightly and then burn out; Anisimova, struggling with the stress of life on tour, took a break in 2023 to look after her mental health and rediscover who she was. Taking a step back worked wonders, and she has reached new heights since her return, winning her maiden WTA 1000 title earlier this year and moving up to a career-high ranking of 15th. World No 86 Maria was the underdog by ranking going into this final. Then again, she has been in every match she has played this week, but her guile and experience have seen her through. The low bounce of grass perfectly suits her crafty, unconventional game, built on a slice that has been confounding the world's best players all week. She dispatched 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the quarter- and semi-finals; she rapidly got on top of Anisimova, a player with a similar power-hitting style. Maria denied Anisimova any rhythm, taking all the pace off the ball, and earned a chance to break early with a crunching topspin forehand. She took the chance and raced to a 4-1 lead in 15 minutes, with Anisimova already baffled at how to deal with this most bamboozling of opponents. The young American's formidable groundstrokes helped get her back on serve, but she could not build any momentum, and Maria immediately broke back, holding to love to seal the first set. The German – now the oldest WTA 500 finalist, and oldest champion – broke at the start of the second, her ability to mix slice and spin with a deft touch at the net continuing to get the better of her big-hitting opponent. One point, on Maria's serve at 2-1, summed up the match: Anisimova fired down smash after smash, only for Maria to dig each one out at the baseline, before the American eventually hit long. She looked on the verge of tears. Maria held after a mammoth 20-point game, then broke again, picking up a backhand volley that was mere millimetres away from bouncing twice to seal it. Anisimova reduced her deficit to just one break and stuck with the German in the latter stages of the set, but there was no getting past an inspired Maria. The American blasted a forehand wide on championship point, and Maria sealed the biggest singles title of her career, 6-3, 6-4. 'I wouldn't be surprised to see you in the Wimbledon final,' Anisimova said afterwards, jokingly adding, 'I think that bigger champagne bottle is for me, because I need it more.' Maria, whose speed and agility on the court belied her age, jumped for joy and raced to celebrate with her family – although her four-year-old may have missed the moment of her mother's biggest triumph, sleeping peacefully in the player's box. 'Queen of Queens', the 37-year-old wrote on the camera lens. Both players thanked the appreciative crowds, Anisimova adding, 'For you to come out and support women's tennis so much, it means a lot'. The crowd has certainly got behind the new tournament: around 80% of tickets were sold ahead of the first day's action, with the Andy Murray Arena filled to bursting on quarter-finals day on Friday, even before Emma Raducanu – third on the schedule – took to the court. Semi-finals day on Saturday sold out. The response from the players, too, has been resoundingly positive. Second seed Keys, one of the most high-profile women to feature, said after her quarter-final win on Friday that 'I think it's the best 500 that I have played'. She noted that the fact that it had already attracted such a competitive field in its first year – including six Grand Slam champions and three of the current top 10, despite taking place immediately after the French Open – made it a 'pretty high-level 500 right away'. Heather Watson, a veteran of British tennis, went further: 'I think it's huge for tennis in this country.' Katie Boulter, whose battle with Raducanu for the British No 1 spot has taken centre stage this week, said, 'Queen's is everything that I kind of dreamt it would be. I feel like it's a moment for women's tennis and women's sport in general right now.' Both Boulter and Maria called it a 'privilege' to play here. At times the tournament proved unable to handle the scale of demand. The doubles partnership between Boulter and Raducanu proved such an attraction that punters queued for over an hour to access their first-round match. Warned that once they were let in, they would be unable to leave, fans opted against loo breaks and refills of Pimm's in favour of watching British tennis' two biggest stars. Their matches would likely have filled the 7,700-capacity Andy Murray Arena too, but due to the tournament's contractual obligations with the WTA, which prioritises singles matches on main courts, 'Boultercanu' were stuck on the standing-room-only Court 1. A thousand fans crammed in to cheer them on. Unlike the majority of mixed tournaments, Queen's is running its women's and men's events on separate weeks. That has meant that the thousands of spectators descending on west London each day have turned up in their masses solely to watch women's tennis. Those punters have had their faith repaid. Perhaps in the future the two tournaments will integrate fully – although Keys quipped, 'I like when we don't have to share with the boys'. For now, the spotlight has been solely on the women; they have made sure it has been a blinding success.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney tracking EFL cult hero's contract situation with Sheffield Wednesday in dire straits
WREXHAM are tracking Sheffield Wednesday cult hero Barry Bannan. The midfielder has been a keen cog in the Owls machine since he signed in 2015. 2 2 But the 35-year-old is one of many who could leave if Wednesday fail to pay his late wages. Wrexham - co-owned by Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney - are monitoring developments and can afford to pay a top salary. The Red Dragons are also interested in former Scotland midfielder Stuart Armstrong, 33, who is a free agent after a short spell at Wednesday. Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward could also make a move to the Racecourse following his release by Leicester. The 44-cap star, 31, was a schoolkid at Wrexham until joining Liverpool in 2012. Wednesday owner Dejphon Chanisiri wants his manager Danny Rohl to return to work now. The pair have been clashing for months and supremo Chansiri has ordered Rohl to cut short his summer break. Rohl has been openly chasing jobs and his staff are mainly out of contract soon. If he refuses the request he could be fined by the cash-hit club. The German, 36, has been linked with the vacant manager's job at Middlesbrough.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
German mum-of-two Tatjana Maria, 37, seals emotional Queen's triumph as she celebrates with her children and 'amazing husband' at courtside on Father's Day
On Father's Day, a mother reigned as the Queen of Queen's Club. Tatjana Maria, 37 years old, world No88 and a mum of two, became the first winner of the women's title here since Olga Morozova in 1973. The German, who has won seven matches here having come through qualifying, beat No8 seed Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 6-4 in the final of the first women's event held at this fine old place in 52 years. In the moment of victory, Maria dropped her racket and ran to her family courtside. Husband and coach Charles-Edouard Maria was pumping his fists in joy. Charlotte, 11 and a fine player herself, was elated, flinging herself into mum's arms. Cecilia, four, was wholly uninterested, perhaps annoyed the hullabaloo had interrupted her nap. 'How to start?' said Maria, having written 'Queen of Queen's' on the camera. 'Thanks of course to the tournament, I enjoyed every second here. 'My family, my team. It's Fathers' Day so I have to say to my husband: he's an amazing husband, coach, he does everything. Thank you for always believing in me, it doesn't matter how it goes we always stick together and of course our beautiful girls: I love you both, you're amazing. Tatjana Maria secured the biggest victory of her career as she triumphed at Queen's 'We have such a great team, so much fun and of course we're going to celebrate and I can't wait.' Women giving birth and returning to the tour is becoming more common, and more supported. The WTA in March launched a program for paid maternity leave, and just a few days ago announced measures which would allow players to taking a break for fertility treatment to retain their ranking. Before all this, Maria was among the trailblazers, a source of friendship and advice to the likes of Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka who have combined tennis with motherhood. And now in the 20th year of her career, comes Maria's biggest title. She is largely overpowered on other surfaces these days, but on grass her curious style of slices off both forehand and backhand is a nightmare to deal with. Even the top players struggle: here she has beaten in succession: No6 seed Karolina Muchova; No 4 seed and 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina; No2 seed and Australian Open champion Madison Keys; and now No8 seed Anisimova. She will be a horror draw for anyone in the first round of Wimbledon.
