Cryptic message from Viktor Gyökeres: “Most of what’s being said about me is false”

According to reports from Reuters and A Bola, Sporting CP President Frederico Varandas has strongly denied recent claims suggesting that Viktor Gyökeres will leave the club for €60 million plus €10 million in bonuses. At the same time, Gyökeres, the player at the centre of these rumours, posted the following striking statement on his social media account:

“There is a lot being said right now, most of it is false. When the time is right, I will speak.”

This comment has resonated in both the Portuguese and English media, as two major clubs—Arsenal and Manchester United—are closely monitoring Gyökeres’s transfer situation.

The €60+10 million claim: Rumoured verbal agreement according to A Bola

According to Portuguese sports daily A Bola, there was reportedly a secret “verbal agreement” made at the beginning of the season between Gyökeres’s agent and Sporting CP’s management. This alleged agreement would allow the player to leave the club for a fixed fee of €60 million plus €10 million in bonuses.

However, the same report states that Sporting President Frederico Varandas firmly rejected these claims:

“Gyökeres will not leave for that amount. I never authorised such a thing.” “There hasn’t been a single official offer for him, neither this season nor the last.”

Varandas also suggested that these rumours were being fed to the media by the player’s agent, adding, “We cannot be pressured in this way.” Reuters also independently reported these remarks.

Amorim factor at Manchester United: rebuilding old ties

In November 2024, Manchester United appointed Rúben Amorim, the former Sporting coach, as the club’s new manager. Amorim’s arrival has strategically boosted United’s chances in the race for Gyökeres.

According to TalkSport, one of Amorim’s first targets at Manchester was his former player Gyökeres. The report states that the manager wants to reunite with the striker and build the team’s attacking system around him. The Sun also claims that Gyökeres is the “primary target” in United’s summer transfer plans.

The relationship between Amorim and Gyökeres makes this transfer far more likely compared to other Premier League contenders.

Arsenal’s shifting transfer strategy

Arsenal have recently turned their attention towards RB Leipzig’s Slovenian striker Benjamin Šeško. According to The Sun’s live transfer updates, the club is in “active talks” with Šeško and has made his signing a short-term priority. Likewise, TalkSport reports that Arsenal are in contact for both Šeško and Gyökeres, but Sporting’s firm stance is pushing the North London side to warm up to the Slovenian alternative.

Even so, Gyökeres remains one of Arsenal’s most viable options for the Premier League.

Speaking with numbers: 97 goals in 102 games

In just two seasons at Sporting, Viktor Gyökeres has made 102 appearances, scoring 97 goals and providing 28 assists—a phenomenal output. With his physical presence and decision-making ability, he has become one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe.

His statistics are certainly impressive. But to truly understand him, one must look beyond the numbers. His playing style is the real force behind those figures:

Who is Gyökeres: not just a goalscorer, but a complete forward with commanding presence

Gyökeres isn’t just a goalscorer. He can raise the level of a team’s entire attacking structure.

While his powerful physique stands out at first glance, his greatest strength on the pitch isn’t just his frame—it’s his game intelligence. His positioning around the penalty area, runs between centre-backs, and instinct for opportunities are top-level. His finishing, particularly with his left foot, is clinical, though he can also score stylish goals with his right.

But what truly sets him apart is not just his scoring contribution. He drops deep to collect the ball, holds it up with his back to goal, creates space for teammates, and delivers passes to the most open player to initiate goal-scoring opportunities. He’s always involved—not just the finisher, but often the initiator of attacks.

Of course, he’s not without weaknesses. His passing under pressure can be inconsistent, and he occasionally struggles with decision-making in high-tempo moments. Still, his overall impact is so strong that these flaws are often overlooked.

In summary: Gyökeres is a complete player capable of not only boosting a Premier League team’s goal output but also elevating its overall attacking structure. On the pitch, he doesn’t just trouble centre-backs—he disrupts the entire flow of the game.

Silence that could become the summer’s biggest story

Gyökeres’s social media post serves not only as a defence but also as a signal that the transfer situation remains unresolved. With Sporting’s denial of the rumours, suggestions of agent manoeuvres, and Amorim’s involvement, this transfer saga is unlikely to end anytime soon.

The final word, however, will still come from the man himself.