First Arsenal player breaks silence following claims Viktor Gyokeres could join Man Utd
An Arsenal player has commented on Viktor Gyokeres amid claims of Manchester United attempting to hijack Arsenal’s move for the Sporting CP striker.
Gyokeres Chooses Arsenal Over United Amid Transfer Tension
Viktor Gyokeres remains Arsenal’s top target for the striker role this summer, and early talks appeared promising. The Gunners quickly reached personal terms with the Swedish forward and had seemingly agreed on a base transfer fee of £54.8 million with Sporting CP.
However, negotiations have hit a snag over the structure of the £8.6 million in performance-related bonuses. Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas is reportedly insisting on almost guaranteed, near-certain add-ons — a stance Arsenal aren’t willing to accept, as they prefer the bonuses to be tied to more ambitious, harder-to-achieve targets.
Amid the impasse, some reports suggested that Manchester United were looking to hijack the deal, leveraging Gyokeres’ connection with Sporting manager Rúben Amorim.
But according to Portuguese outlet A Bola, Gyokeres has rejected United’s interest and remains firmly committed to joining Arsenal. That news is expected to please Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhães, who recently praised Gyokeres’ talent after witnessing his incredible scoring record — 97 goals in 102 matches for Sporting.
Arsenal Still Pushing for Gyokeres Despite Add-On Dispute With Sporting
Arsenal faced Viktor Gyokeres and Sporting CP in last season’s Champions League, where they kept the prolific striker quiet during a dominant 5-1 victory at the Estádio José Alvalade.
Reflecting on the match, Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães told The Athletic:
“It was definitely a tough challenge when we played him. What’s clear now is that he’s a top-quality player who had an outstanding season.”
Manager Mikel Arteta reportedly wanted Gyokeres signed and on the plane for Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Asia, but delays in the deal meant that didn’t happen in time.
Meanwhile, speculation that Manchester United were trying to hijack the transfer may be overblown. According to the BBC’s Simon Stone, there’s a “strong sense” United are not seriously pursuing Gyokeres and are instead being used as leverage in what appears to be a strategic negotiation.
The Hold-Up: Differing Views on Bonus Structure
As reported by Sport Witness, the main disagreement between Arsenal and Sporting CP lies in how the performance-related bonuses are structured. Sporting want a guaranteed payout model, such as:
€2.5 million after 20 appearances
Another €2.5 million after a further 20 games
€2.5 million if Arsenal qualify for the Champions League for a fourth straight season
An additional €2.5 million if Gyokeres reaches another 20 appearances in the 2026/27 season
Arsenal, however, are pushing for some of the add-ons to be less straightforward — tied to more ambitious milestones rather than automatic payments. This mismatch in expectations is what’s causing the delay in finalizing the transfer.
Despite the stall, Gyokeres is still believed to be focused on a move to North London, with reports suggesting he’s not entertaining other offers.
🔴 **Viktor Gyökeres Chooses Arsenal Over Manchester United – Add-On Dispute Delays Deal**
Arsenal’s pursuit of **Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyökeres** is still very much alive — and despite a brief swirl of hijack rumors, the Swedish star appears to have made up his mind: **he wants Arsenal**.
—
### ✅ **Deal Overview:**
* **Base Fee:** £54.8 million (€65M) agreed
* **Add-Ons:** £8.6 million (€10M) – **the key sticking point**
* **Personal Terms:** Already agreed with Gyökeres
* **United Interest:** Rejected by Gyökeres, per **A Bola**
—
## 🔁 Arsenal vs. Sporting – The Add-On Tension
Sporting CP president **Frederico Varandas** is demanding near-guaranteed performance-related bonuses, while **Arsenal** want the bonuses tied to tougher, future-based milestones.
### 📌 Sporting’s Demands:
| Condition | Bonus (€) |
| ————————————- | ——— |
| 20 appearances | €2.5M |
| Another 20 appearances | €2.5M |
| Champions League qualification (2026) | €2.5M |
| 20 more appearances in 2026/27 | €2.5M |
> Total: €10M — but Arsenal view this structure as **too easy to trigger**.
Arsenal are countering with **more merit-based incentives**, such as goals scored, titles won, or Champions League knockout-stage progress.
—
## 🛑 Manchester United: Used as Leverage?
Despite reports suggesting **Manchester United** had entered the fray — potentially leveraging Gyökeres’ past link with manager **Rúben Amorim** — **credible outlets like the BBC’s Simon Stone** have cooled that talk:
> 🔍 “There’s a strong sense that United are not seriously pursuing Gyökeres and are being used to apply pressure on Arsenal.”
Amorim, who recently froze out **Casemiro** and **Jadon Sancho**, may admire Gyökeres, but **Man United’s striker priority remains Joshua Zirkzee** and possibly Randal Kolo Muani on loan.
—
### 🎙️ Arsenal Defender Gabriel Magalhães on Gyökeres:
> “It was definitely a tough challenge when we played him. What’s clear now is that he’s a top-quality player who had an outstanding season.”
Gyökeres scored **97 goals in 102 games** for Sporting CP — an elite record that’s turned heads across Europe.
—
## 🧠 What This Means:
* **Arsenal are still in pole position**, but final agreement hinges on **bonus structure compromise**
* **United have not made a formal bid** — and interest may have been overblown
* **Gyökeres remains focused on a move to North London**
* **Arteta wants him integrated ASAP**, ideally before the next phase of preseason
—
### 🔮 What’s Next?
If Arsenal can **resolve the bonus dispute**, the transfer could be announced **before the end of the month**. Sporting have no intention of lowering their total €75M valuation — it’s just about **how it’s paid**.
Would you like a breakdown of **how Gyökeres would fit in Arsenal’s front three**, or how **Manchester United’s striker search** is evolving post-Gyökeres?
