Arsenal & Liverpool-linked Viktor Gyokeres admits €100m release clause is ‘a bit too much’ as prolific Sporting striker sends ‘next window’ Premier League transfer message

The prolific Sweden international spent three seasons in England with Swansea and Coventry before heading to Portuguese giants Sporting in the summer of 2023. He hit 43 goals through 50 appearances during his debut campaign in Lisbon.

Those exploits are said to have seen the 26-year-old frontman register on recruitment radars at Emirates Stadium, Anfield and Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea another of his many suitors. No deal was done in the last window, but Gyokeres is looking forward to seeing what happens in the next.

He has told Sport Bladet when asked about his present and future, with suitors needing to find €100m (£84m/$111m) in order to get a deal done: “They (Sporting) wanted most of the starting players to stay and held us tight. That’s how it turned out, but I enjoy Sporting very much, so for me it was no problem to stay. Of course you want to play at the highest level. It (release clause) was probably a bit too much because nothing came of it. Of course, it’s a lot of money. But we’ll see what happens next window… I enjoy myself very much in Sporting and can’t complain about anything, so it’s absolutely no problem for me to stay. Of course, you aim to test other leagues and a higher level, but I have no stress.”

Gyokeres is under contract until 2028, so Sporting are under no pressure to sell and his asking price will not be dropping any time soon. He has already registered a further seven goals through five appearances in the 2024-25 campaign, as stunning individual standards are maintained.