Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres “remains open” to a move to Man Utd with a potential move to Arsenal stalling, according to reports.
The Gunners have been hard at work attempting to convince the Portuguese club to sell the Sweden international on their terms but Sporting are holding firm.
There are claims that Arsenal are prepared to pay the €80m that Sporting are asking for but it’s the fixed fee that is forming the problem in negotiations.
It is understood that the Gunners are looking to pay €65m as a fixed amount with €15m more in bonuses, while Sporting are holding out for €70m fixed.
The Daily Mirror claim that Arsenal were given a ‘cooling off period’ by the Portuguese club ‘after reaching stalemate’ in transfer talks.
But Sporting ‘now ready to resume serious negotiations within the next 48 hours but have so far stuck to their guns over the price as they want around £70m with at least £60m up front and the rest in add-ons’.
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Gyokeres is understood to be pushing hard to secure his exit to Arsenal with reports claiming that he could go on strike if Sporting don’t allow him to move.
Man Utd have been linked over the summer too but as soon as the Gunners got serious with their interest then a transfer to Old Trafford was given no chance.
However, football transfer journalist Ben Jacobs revealed that Gyokeres was open to a move to Man Utd despite no European football on offer next season.
And Jacobs still insists that Gyokeres “remains open” to a move to Man Utd if he can’t complete a deal to sign for Arsenal in the summer.
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Jacobs told The United Stand: “Viktor Gyokeres never said no to Manchester United. He was, still is, if something falls through, open to joining Manchester United without Champions League football.
“And that’s the part that always gets pulled out of context on social media, and suddenly you get told you’re saying it’s advancing, but Gyokeres indicating that, never meant that Manchester United made an approach to Sporting.”
Jacobs added: “So we’ve never had yet a Manchester United conversation with Sporting. No bid. It’s never advanced further than the player camp simply saying, if Arsenal doesn’t come off, we would also be open to Manchester United.
“And the ball has always been in Manchester United’s court and they’ve not escalated that to any kind of club-to-club talks. So, it’s never been anything to get over excited about other than the fact that if this Arsenal deal doesn’t come off, Gyokeres wants to move to the Premier League and remains open to Manchester United.”
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