Viktor Gyokeres could be on his way to Arsenal, with L’Equipe suggesting he has agreed to a five-year deal and the club is now in advanced talks with Sporting Clube de Portugal over a transfer fee.
Reports claim that Gyokeres has been willing to go on strike after being left furious with Sporting for reneging on an agreement to sell him for a reduced fee.
He has also rejected attempts to hold clear-the-air talks with the club. All of this points to a very different departure from the one that brought him to Sporting.
The striker joined the Portuguese giants in 2023 after a prolific stint with Coventry City. His heartfelt goodbye message on the club’s social media made it clear just how much the Midlands side meant to him.
He expressed: “Hi, Viktor here. Where to start… It’s been a fantastic journey the last two and a half years at Coventry City. We have been through a lot of different challenges and I just think we stuck together all the time.
“As a family, both players and staff, and of course the fans, and everyone else around the club, and I think we showed that, especially last season when we had a really difficult beginning of the season when we couldn’t play any of the home games and were bottom of the table.
“And we still believed in the goals that we had to make the play-offs, and we worked really hard together and got the support from the fans and in the end we made it.
“And we made it all the way to the final as well. Of course, we didn’t win as we all wanted and all dreamed of doing, but that’s life.
“But I am just really grateful for all the memories that we made together and the friends I made in Coventry.”
He added: “The support from the fans has been unbelievable, the Sky Blue Army is something special and something I will never forget. I just wanted to thank the support I got from the gaffer, Adi (Viveash), Dennis (Lawrence), the help from Richard and Vinnie and everyone else around the club, all the players…
“It has been fantastic and I can’t thank you enough for the time I have had with you.
“I think it’s best that I stop doing this video now before I start to cry. It’s been amazing and I just wanted to wish you all the best in the future and I hope I see you somewhere in the future, and thanks for everything.”
Naturally, there are still some details to iron out before any departure announcement, but supporters will undoubtedly be watching Gyokeres’ comments closely, given the contentious nature of his transfer saga.
