It wouldn't be a potential Manchester United transfer move unless there was some serious drama involved, right? This appears to be the case with superstar striker Viktor Gyokeres, who remains the club's top target at the striker position.
This past weekend, though, countless headlines were made when sporting president Frederico Varandas pretty much said that teams are going to have to break the bank to sign his player. This comes after Gyokeres was previously told he could leave this summer with no issues.
"If you ask me today, there is a strong possibility that Viktor will leave," Varandas said,according to A BOLA. "In the last few weeks, we have been keeping an eye on the market. I saw a player like Zubimendi, who is six months younger than Viktor, go to Arsenal for €65 million. I saw two players being sold in the Premier League – Matheus Cunha and Mbeumo – forwards who do not have the quality of Viktor, in my opinion, were sold for around €75 million."
After these comments, it's quite understandable that Gyokeres might be pretty upset with the club, especially with Arsenal and Man United - two teams linked with the striker - being shouted out. Apparently, Gyokeres has made it clear to Varandas that he won't play for Sporting ever again. That's what Fabrizio Romano has just reported:
🚨⚠️ Following Sporting president quotes, Viktor Gyökeres has no intention to come back and play again.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 29, 2025
Gyökeres already informed the club about it, as per @Record_Portugal.
Swedish striker insists on the pact made last year over summed exit, now feeling betrayed and tired. pic.twitter.com/rV3ubnqLCc
Viktor Gyokeres feels betrated by Sporting and he's ready to force his exit
The expectation from Gyokeres' side is that the door would be open for him to leave and play for a top contender next campaign. Arsenal has shown interest, as has United. Even reports arrived stating that Liverpool had entered the race here.
While it's unknown where he'll be going, the fact of the matter is that Gyokeres wants to head to a different club and he's got his eyes on the English Premier League. Sporting's president working to jack up the price is certainly upsetting Gyokeres and his camp.
Sporting has said that it won't look for the full €100 million release clause in Gyokeres' contract, but that doesn't mean the Portuguese side is going to give him away for peanuts. Varandas is still expecting a heavy sum. Will he eventually be a little more open minded to make the player happy, or is this summer soap opera just getting started? United fans are optimistic that something can get done quickly, but that's not looking likely at this point.