An Arsenal player has commented on Viktor Gyokeres amid claims of Manchester United attempting to hijack Arsenal’s move for the Sporting CP striker.
Gyokeres Chooses Arsenal Over United Amid Transfer Tension
Viktor Gyokeres remains Arsenal’s top target for the striker role this summer, and early talks appeared promising. The Gunners quickly reached personal terms with the Swedish forward and had seemingly agreed on a base transfer fee of £54.8 million with Sporting CP.
However, negotiations have hit a snag over the structure of the £8.6 million in performance-related bonuses. Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas is reportedly insisting on almost guaranteed, near-certain add-ons — a stance Arsenal aren’t willing to accept, as they prefer the bonuses to be tied to more ambitious, harder-to-achieve targets.
Amid the impasse, some reports suggested that Manchester United were looking to hijack the deal, leveraging Gyokeres’ connection with Sporting manager Rúben Amorim.
But according to Portuguese outlet A Bola, Gyokeres has rejected United’s interest and remains firmly committed to joining Arsenal. That news is expected to please Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhães, who recently praised Gyokeres’ talent after witnessing his incredible scoring record — 97 goals in 102 matches for Sporting.
Arsenal Still Pushing for Gyokeres Despite Add-On Dispute With Sporting
Arsenal faced Viktor Gyokeres and Sporting CP in last season’s Champions League, where they kept the prolific striker quiet during a dominant 5-1 victory at the Estádio José Alvalade.
Reflecting on the match, Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães told The Athletic:
“It was definitely a tough challenge when we played him. What’s clear now is that he’s a top-quality player who had an outstanding season.”
Manager Mikel Arteta reportedly wanted Gyokeres signed and on the plane for Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Asia, but delays in the deal meant that didn’t happen in time.
Meanwhile, speculation that Manchester United were trying to hijack the transfer may be overblown. According to the BBC’s Simon Stone, there’s a “strong sense” United are not seriously pursuing Gyokeres and are instead being used as leverage in what appears to be a strategic negotiation.
The Hold-Up: Differing Views on Bonus Structure
As reported by Sport Witness, the main disagreement between Arsenal and Sporting CP lies in how the performance-related bonuses are structured. Sporting want a guaranteed payout model, such as:
- €2.5 million after 20 appearances
- Another €2.5 million after a further 20 games
- €2.5 million if Arsenal qualify for the Champions League for a fourth straight season
- An additional €2.5 million if Gyokeres reaches another 20 appearances in the 2026/27 season
Arsenal, however, are pushing for some of the add-ons to be less straightforward — tied to more ambitious milestones rather than automatic payments. This mismatch in expectations is what’s causing the delay in finalizing the transfer.
Despite the stall, Gyokeres is still believed to be focused on a move to North London, with reports suggesting he’s not entertaining other offers.
