Viktor Gyokeres has responded to a direct line of questioning over continual reports linking him with a summer move to Arsenal.
The former Brighton and Coventry City forward has been an absolute sensation for Sporting since making the move to Portugal in 2023, registering 90 goals and 26 assists in just 96 appearances.
Gyokeres reportedly has an £85m release clause in his contract but has struck up a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with Sporting that they would accept a bid in the region of £63m, according to talkSPORT.
Arsenal’s need for a regular goalscorer is well established with the Gunners on course for a third successive second-place finish in the Premier League.
Going into their Sunday afternoon meeting with Ipswich, Mikel Arteta’s side boasted the best defensive record in the division, conceding four fewer than leaders Liverpool – but they have considerably lagged behind at the other end of the pitch, scoring 17 goals fewer than Arne Slot’s side.
Nobody in the Arsenal squad has yet reached double figures for Premier League goals, with Kai Havertz leading the way with nine.
All of that would make Swedish international Gyokeres an extremely attractive prospect to the Gunners – but when asked by the Portuguese media if he liked London, he simply replied: “I like Lisbon.”
“I can’t say anything about that,” Gyokeres went on when asked to confirm whether that gentleman’s agreement truly does exist. “No one can predict what will happen, we enjoy the moment.”
Sporting currently sit top of the league ahead of fierce rivals Benfica, but their lead is extremely precarious: the two sides are level on points with just four games left to play, including a direct head-to-head on the penultimate day of the season.