SPORTING’S president has furiously hit back at Manchester United target Victor Gyokeres saying: “Threats and blackmail don’t work.”
The Sweden striker is considering going on strike to force through a dream move to United or Arsenal.
Gyokeres, 27, is furious with Sporting for going back on their word over a transfer promise to him and plans not to play for the club again.
He believes he had a gentleman’s agreement to leave the Portuguese giants for £50million with a further £8million in add-ons but that claim has been rubbished by president Frederico Varandas.
And the Sporting chief insists he will not be bullied into letting the ex-Coventry forward move to the Prem on the cheap this summer.
Varandas said: “Sporting will not accept blackmail and insults – you should know me better by now.
“One thing is certain, we will not accept £50m plus £8m. As of now, Sporting has not received any bids for Gyokeres.
“He is a fantastic professional, to this day he has had zero offers. He has a three-year contract with Sporting.”
Responding to claims they have changed their stance, Varandas gave his version of the meetings they had last summer.
He says the only guarantee he gave to the forward was that he would not ask for the full £85m of his release clause.
He said: “It was agreed that Sporting would not demand the release clause at the end of the season, especially because he was going to be 27.
“We knew about Viktor’s dream of going to a club where he could fight for the Champions League and we have common sense.
“We guaranteed that we would not demand £85m. Sporting has common sense, it keeps its word.
“The president of Sporting said that the club would not demand the clause and that we would adjust the value to Viktor’s performance.
“But he was one of the best players ever to step on the pitch in Portugal with 63 goals and ten assists. Now I see the agent is releasing information to the press.”
United boss Ruben Amorim has made Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo his top priority after signing Matheus Cunha earlier in the window.
But he worked with Gyokeres at Sporting and could yet firm up the interest if the Red Devils can shift some of their existing forwards this summer.
United legend Rio Ferdinand is not convinced by the striker and said: “I don’t think he’s the guy. I’ve not watched him loads but I’ve watched him probably three times really, really closely.
“And three times I’ve gone, ‘He ain’t getting that opportunity in the Prem’.
“When I see him physically matched, what else is there? Is there enough – after he’s physically matched – to get him a goal?”
Arsenal remain in the frame for him too with new director of football Andrea Berta a big fan from his days at Atletico Madrid.
The Gunners are working on a deal for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko but are currently unwilling to meet the German club’s asking price.
Should that move reach a stalemate, they could go back for Gyokeres if they felt he gave better value for money and could make more of an instant impact.
However Sporting are not willing to let their prized asset go without a fight.
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