Arsenal’s deal for Manchester United target Viktor Gyokeres is reportedly on ice due to valuation differences.
The Red Devils have made signing a new striker a priority after a dismal year in front of goal in the league.
It has been widely reported that United have a strong interest in reuniting Ruben Amorim with his former striker at Sporting CP, Gyokeres.
It had been reported that the Swede was open to joining United but reports came out yesterday that the striker had made public his preference to join rivals Arsenal.
Football transfers are an unpredictable beast however, and reports coming out of Portugal just hours after this news are suggesting that the Gunners have cooled their interest in the forward.
Portuguese paper Record claim that “Arsenal’s interest in Gyökeres has cooled and the deal is frozen” after further talks with Sporting on the price of a deal.
It is suggested that “Sporting is not lowering its demand to release the 27-year-old Swedish international for a total fee of €80 million, a figure considered too high by the Londoners.”
Mikel Arteta’s side have only offered €55 million plus €10 million in add-ons and don’t seem keen to go much above this amount, never mind go anywhere near Sporting’s valuation.
It’s said that Arsenal have shifted attention to Red Bull Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, who they believe they can secure at lower fees than Gyokeres would command.
Watkins could be particularly attractive for Arsenal as he is reportedly available for only €47 million. What’s more, it is stated that the Gunners met his agents earlier this week and there was an “openness” on the England international’s part to seal a quick deal if necessary.
All of this could once again open the door for United and Amorim to swoop in for the Swede if the deal to Arsenal is truly off.
Nonetheless, it also must be stated that fellow Portuguese paper, A Bola, insist that the news is much better for Arsenal fans this morning over Gyokeres.
It has been reported that the Gunners are still “fighting” for the player and “will sit down with the Lions again next week and will raise their offer closer to €70 million.”
Sporting are said to still want an overall package of €80 million but a “new round of talks could bring about a renewed wave of optimism on the part of the Swedish striker, who has always had a priority goal of leaving for the London giants.”
Arsenal’s increased interest in the player is said to make “the possibility of a reunion between Ruben Amorim and Gyokeres an increasingly distant scenario.”
Nonetheless, it is suggested by A Bola that United and Juventus are both still keeping an eye on the situation and could get involved again in the future.
It must be stressed though that the paper believes that this would only come to pass if a move to Arsenal fails to materialise for the striker, who are very much in pole position at the moment.
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Alex Browne
Alex is a huge Manchester United fan, inspired by greats of his homeland such as George Best, Harry Gregg and Norman Whiteside. Proud owner of such niche shirts such as Kleberson, Eric Djemba-Djemba and Gary Neville. Grew up pretending to be Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the back garden, with little success.
