The Sweden international was recently offered to Real Madrid, but the Spanish giants declined to pursue a deal
If Viktor Gyokeres will secure a move this summer to a club a few places above the Portuguese Primeira Liga in Uefa’s coefficient rankings, it won’t be to Real Madrid.
The Spanish giants have turned down the opportunity to sign the Swede from Sporting, despite head coach Xabi Alonso’s desire to bring in a new forward ahead of his first season in charge.
The Sweden international was recently offered to Madrid, but the Spanish giants declined to pursue a deal, as reported by The Athletic; firstly as a result of concerns about the finances involved in the deal, but also due to questions over whether Gyokeres would accept a secondary role in the squad.
Xabi Alonso, appointed as Madrid’s manager in May, is believed to be keen on signing a traditional No 9 to complement his attacking options. With Kylian Mbappe expected to lead the line and both Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo continuing as central figures in the attack, Alonso wants a physically imposing striker to serve as a direct alternative – someone in the mould of Joselu, who left Madrid last summer after a productive loan spell.
But Madrid want a low-cost forward and a fee to prise Gyokeres from Sporting would be quite high.
The Swede scored 29 goals and contributed 9 assists in 33 league appearances last season, helping Sporting clinch the Primeira Liga title. His goalscoring form has drawn interest from across Europe, with Arsenal and Manchester United both previously linked.
However, the finances involved might in fact scupper a high-profile move that would be great for the player’s career. The issue of a fee has in fact led to a deteriorating relationship with Sporting president Frederico Varandas, which would make negotiations difficult for any club.
Sources from Portugal say that Varandas had privately promised to allow Gyokeres to leave for €60 million this summer. That agreement now appears to have been walked back, with Sporting raising the asking price, reportedly closer to his €100 million release clause. It has caused a breakdown in the relationship between player and club.
The question is whether clubs like Arsenal and Manchester United would be willing to get entangled with that, especially with PSR hanging like the sword of Damocles. It would be a shame if Gyokeres were ultimately unable to secure a move that the player would clearly love.
