Coventry City’s hopes of a transfer kitty windfall have suffered a blow with the news that Viktor Gyokeres is reported to want to stay at Sporting Lisbon this summer.
The 26-year-old former Sky Blues striker has caught the attention of a host of clubs throughout Europe after a stellar season, helping Sporting to the Portuguese title. An incredible 43 goals and 15 assists in 50 games has brought interest from Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and PSG.
City reluctantly sold Gyokeres last summer for a fee that is understood to have reached £21m based on goals and appearances achieved in his first season, and would stand to get a further ten percent of any profit on the player from a sell-on clause, should the Sweden international be sold.
Arsenal have been reported as being closest to making a move for the player who is reported to have an £86m release clause. City could be in line for a cash boost of around £6.5m if and when he’s sold, assuming the above figure is met.
However, Swedish newspaper fotbollskanalen is reporting that: “There doesn’t seem to be any big move this summer,” after claims in the Portuguese press that “Viktor Gyökeres wants to stay one more year at Sporting.” That’s according to A Bola, which says the club “plans to offer a salary increase as a thank you.”
Gyokeres underwent an operation in May to cure the pain he had in one knee during the spring. The intervention was planned and was done in agreement between club and player, wrote Record, which reported on the matter at the time.
