Viktor Gyokeres breaks his silence! Sporting CP striker hits out at 'mostly false' reports amid constant transfer links and fallout with Portuguese club

Gyokeres' transfer plans to leave Lisbon reportedly took a hit when Sporting president Frederico Varandas backtracked on a verbal agreement to sell him for €70 million (£60m/$82m), subsequently raising the asking price. After days of mounting speculation, the Swedish forward took to Instagram to share a cryptic post acknowledging the ongoing talks and claiming the timing wasn't right.

"There is a lot of talks at the moment, most of it is false. I will speak when the time is right," he wrote.

instagram/viktorgyokeres

Gyokeres' rise under Ruben Amorim, Sporting CP's former head coach, solidified his status as one of the elite forwards available in the market. The 27-year-old scored 54 goals and provided 13 assists in 52 games for the Portuguese club in the 2024-25 campaign. The forward has been in talks to make a move, but unforeseen circumstances have now complicated the situation for Gyokeres.

The situation is further complicated by reports that the Portuguese club leaked details of a minor surgery Gyokeres underwent, which both parties had agreed to keep confidential to ward off interest from other clubs. This further damaged the relationship between them, with reports also suggesting the forward has threatened the club with going on strike.

Arsenal are reportedly the closest to signing the Swedish player, but with the ongoing spat and Sporting's transfer fee demands, how the situation unfolds will largely depend on the club's stance. Gyokeres' contract with Sporting runs until June 2028, and with a €100m (£85m/$115m) release clause, the club definitely holds the upper hand in the current situation.