Report: Release Clause Could Trigger Gyökeres Transfer
Gyokeres to Arsenal? Sporting Star's Release Clause Sparks Race
Viktor Gyökeres continues to dominate Premier League transfer chatter as Arsenal remain favourites to sign the prolific Sporting striker. Mark Goldbridge, speaking on his That's Football show, cut through the noise around the story, making it clear that while Arsenal are ahead in the race, the deal isn't sealed.
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'Arsenal obviously are the favourites to sign this player at the moment,' Goldbridge said, before addressing misleading claims from certain outlets. 'There was some stories coming out from, I would say, liars saying that Gyökeres was basically going to be a 'here we go' deal done last night. Not the case.'
The forward, currently lighting it up at Sporting, is reportedly available for a fee that meets his release clause, with figures cited at £62 million. As Goldbridge added, 'Arsenal will pay the £62 million that Sporting want and they're looking to give him £7 million after tax, which is about £250,000 a week.'
That figure would place Gyökeres among Arsenal's top earners, with Goldbridge highlighting that 'their top earner is actually Havertz on 280 grand a week.'
Timing is Key in Sporting Star's Decision
While financial terms may be aligned, the timing of the transfer is another matter. Sporting have important fixtures coming up which may delay the player's final decision. 'They've got a big game this weekend, Sporting, then they've got the cup final the week after. So he's not going to decide his future till after then,' Goldbridge explained.
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This delay opens the door, if only slightly, for rival clubs like Manchester United to make their move. 'I'm hoping it might open the door for Man United if we're in the Europa League—but that's probably wishful thinking,' Goldbridge admitted.
Release Clause Driving Early Market Movement
Gyökeres' release clause has been a focal point for clubs looking to move quickly in a potentially hectic summer window. Goldbridge remarked, 'The credible sources from Portugal yesterday were saying that Arsenal will pay the £62 million that Sporting want.' It's a figure that's now forcing clubs into faster negotiations ahead of traditional timelines.
'I think we're going to get quite a lot of activity early on,' Goldbridge said. The presence of the Club World Cup and mounting pressure from fans and boards alike could mean that Gyökeres won't be the only player with a release clause activated early.
Chelsea and United Monitoring Alternatives
While Arsenal dominate the Gyökeres race, other clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United are monitoring other strikers, notably Liam Delap. However, even Goldbridge was sceptical about these pursuits.
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'Do we need another 22-year-old striker that's a project? Man United need goals,' he pointed out, while also questioning Chelsea's interest. 'I don't know why Chelsea are looking at him for the same reason.'
Clubs may ultimately return to targets like Gyökeres who bring experience and an immediate impact. 'You'd probably be wanting a Gyökeres and Osimhen, you know, someone a little bit more experienced yourself,' Goldbridge concluded.
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