Sporting Lisbon president Frederico Varandas has firmly denied any suggestion that Viktor Gyokeres could leave the club for £59 million. In a strong statement, Varandas refuted claims of a “gentleman’s agreement” allowing the Swedish striker to exit at a discounted fee, stating no offers have been received for the prolific forward.
Gyokeres, 27, has caught the attention of top Premier League clubs like Manchester United and Arsenal after netting an astonishing 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting. His explosive performances have helped elevate the team into a dominant attacking powerhouse in the Portuguese league.
Earlier reports suggested the striker had a pre-agreed €70m (£59m) release deal in place, but Varandas firmly dismissed the notion. “I never promised Gyokeres could leave for €60m plus €10m,” he told Portuguese media. “To date, Sporting hasn’t received any offer for him—not this season or the last.”
The club president emphasized that Sporting will only consider offers that meet the official €100m (£85m) release clause in Gyokeres’ contract—a common clause in Portuguese football, designed to protect clubs from undervalued transfers.
Since joining Sporting from Coventry City in 2023, Gyokeres has seamlessly adapted to top-tier European football, increasing both his impact and transfer value. Varandas also shed light on a past meeting with the striker’s representatives when former football director Hugo Viana was still at the club. At that time, Gyokeres’ agent was seeking clarity on whether the €100m clause would be enforced.
According to Varandas, while he indicated Sporting wouldn’t demand the clause outright due to the player’s age (27 being an uncommon age for €100m moves from Portugal), there was never a concrete price established. The club declined the agent’s request to set a fixed valuation, preferring to assess the market in real time. “I said, ‘There’s no point in fixing a value now—I don’t know what it’ll be in a year. €40m? €60m? €80m? What I can guarantee is I won’t ask for €100m.’”
This statement has since been misinterpreted as a binding deal, which Varandas rejects. He made it clear that Sporting alone will decide if and when to sell Gyokeres—based purely on merit and timing, not vague past conversations.
The Swedish international, who also has 15 goals in 26 appearances for his national team, is widely considered one of the top strikers in Europe. With his blend of strength, movement, and goal-scoring instinct, Gyokeres is not for sale on the cheap.
Manchester United and Arsenal are both in the market for a top-tier forward, but unless they’re prepared to meet Sporting’s demands, they may need to look elsewhere.
Varandas’ statement also seems intended to maintain negotiating leverage as interest mounts from across Europe. Sporting has a history of producing top talent—Bruno Fernandes, João Palhinha, Matheus Nunes—and has become increasingly firm in seeking fair value for its stars.
As the transfer window heats up, the question remains: will a club match Sporting’s valuation? Until then, Gyokeres remains key to their ambitions, both in Portugal and Europe.
Varandas has made the club’s stance clear: if anyone wants Gyokeres, they’ll need to pay the full price. Informal deals are a thing of the past—and for now, Sporting’s top striker isn’t going anywhere
