Arsenal target Viktor Gyokeres has admitted that he wants to return to the Premier League after two seasons at Sporting. He has emerged as a top target for the Gunners, who have been locked in talks for a number of weeks. While personal terms are said to have been agreed, a transfer fee has not been settled with Sporting playing hardball in club negotiations.
They have reportedly set a non-negotiable asking price of £60.3million up front and £8.6m in add-ons. The latest offer from Arsenal is believed to have fallen short of those demands and a compromise is yet to be reached. Gyokeres is desperate to join the north Londoners and is refusing to train at Sporting in an attempt to force through a move.
Now, the forward has broken his silence in a wide-ranging interview with L’Equipe. He was not specifically quizzed on Arsenal‘s interest but made it clear that he is eager to move to the Premier League.
Asked if he would be leaving Sporting this summer, Gyokeres replied: “Maybe. That’s football, you never know. I don’t think about it.
“We’ll see what happens. If something happens, it will. The most important thing for me is to play for a club that really wants me.”
Gyokeres was also quizzed on a potential move to England and said: “It’s one of the biggest leagues in Europe. I spent several years there without being able to play a single match. So, of course, it’s something I’d like to do. It would be great revenge.”
While he did not explicitly state that he wanted to join Arsenal, the striker did praise a number of their biggest stars when asked if any players had impressed him.
“Yes, definitely, especially at English clubs,” said Gyokeres. “Midfielders like Bernardo Silva, [Mateo] Kovacic at City, or [Bukayo] Saka at Arsenal are impressive to watch.
“I’ve also faced very high-level defenders, like Gabriel [Magalhaes] and [William] Saliba. It’s a chance to play against those kinds of players.”
Gyokeres is thought to be unhappy with Sporting over the way club chiefs have handled his situation. It reportedly stems from his belief they have backtracked on a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ to allow him to leave for a reduced price.
Earlier this week, it was claimed the deal was on the brink of collapse with Sporting refusing to budge on their demands. As a result, senior figures at Arsenal were said to be losing hope that Gyokeres would end up joining them.
Other reports have suggested that Gyokeres has devised a back-up plan in the event Arsenal withdraw from negotiations. If that happens, he will reportedly wait until the end of the summer window before joining another club on a season-long loan.
Last summer, a similar tactic was adopted by Napoli marksman Victor Osimhen after a proposed move to Chelsea fell through. He ended up joining Galatasaray on a temporary basis, scoring 37 goals in all competitions for the Turkish giants.
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Content Source: www.express.co.uk