Sporting president offers latest on Gyokeres - will not accept £59m
Sporting Lisbon president Frederico Varandas says his club will not accept "blackmail and insults" in the bidding process for Viktor Gyokeres.Gyokeres, 27, has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League, in particular Manchester United and Arsenal.While the club president says Sporting won't hold out for the release clause set at £84m, he also said that they won't accept an insulting offer.Speaking to Portuguese media, Varandas said: "I tried to take three days off, I came back yesterday. I saw so much information and counter-information that it is only fair to come and explain the process. "It started last year, when the season ended and Sporting became national champions. During the transfer market we saw that he was going to stay because there was no offer. "The agent spoke to us to add some clauses. Hugo Viana, as he always did, and very well, managed the relationship with the agents. This relational space is established with the sports director."One of the agent's biggest concerns was whether we would demand the termination clause. Hugo Viana negotiated with the agents over several meetings until the agent demanded the presence of the president. "At this meeting, which included the president, the agent and Viana, Gyokeres was not present. He wanted to guarantee certain things. And what was agreed? That Sporting would not demand a release clause now. For one reason: he was going to be 27 years old and no player leaves Portugal at 27 for 100 or 90 million euros. "In that same meeting, the agent wanted to anchor the exit to a value. I said this sentence: 'It's not worth us setting a value because I don't know what will happen in a year's time. I don't know if it will be 40, 60 or 80. What I can guarantee is that I will not demand 100 million euros. From then on, I never spoke to the agent again, I never spoke to the player about departures or values."Now I see the agent in the press releasing information. I want to make one thing clear: Sporting has common sense and keeps its word. Gyokeres scored 63 goals and 10 assists. Fantastic performance. Certainly one of the best players to have ever stepped onto Portuguese turf. And Sporting will not demand the clause. "Now blackmail and insults, Sporting will not accept. One thing is certain: Sporting will not accept 60 million plus 10. As of today, Sporting has not received any proposal for Gyokeres."
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