Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas has explicitly stated that star striker Viktor Gyökeres will receive “hefty punishment” and be given the task of apologizing to his teammates after his absence at the start of the preseason, a move aimed at forcing a transfer to Arsenal.
Gyökeres, who has been venting due to Sporting’s unyielding attitude in the negotiations for the transfer, is said to want to leave this summer. Arsenal submitted a proposal of €80 million (£69.2m) to mediate the transfer, with €65 million as the initial amount and the remaining €15 million as installments.
But the offer was not accepted because the Sporting side still insisted on at least €70 million guaranteed and €10 million as the bonuses.
Speaking to Lusa, Varandas refrained from giving in: “With the closure of the market, a heavy fine, and an apology to the group, everything will be solved if they don’t want to pay the fair market value for Viktor, we are very comfortable with that for the next three years.”
He also directed some words at the player’s side, which he sees as putting too much pressure: “If the brains behind this idea think that they will get the result they want from me, that is, me selling, then they are mistaken. They are complicating the situation.”
Gyökeres has contributed in two outstanding seasons in Lisbon but the fans, most of them who even have demonstrated their disappointment about his behavior, can easily dismiss his good reputation.
