How Man Utd failed to land Viktor Gyokeres as agent and Fabrizio Romano explain transfer failure
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed why Viktor Gyokeres did not move to Manchester United in the summer, after his agent revealed Sporting CP tried to sell the Arsenal man there.
Gyokeres was one of the main strikers courted by a lot of clubs in the summer. He came off the back of a 54-goal season with Sporting as one of the most in-demand forwards in the world.
He was linked with a lot of Europe’s biggest clubs at one time or another, but in the end it boiled down to two options: United or Arsenal.
The Swede ended up at the Emirates, where he has scored three goals so far, but it has been revealed just how close he came to a United move, as a result of a push from Sporting.
Gyokeres’ agent recently said: “Sporting had concluded a deal with Manchester United behind our backs, that was a problem. United offered a higher transfer fee.”
That has been confirmed by transfer insider Romano, who revealed why the Red Devils lost out.
He said on YouTube: “The crazy story around Gyokeres [his agent] says behind our back, Sporting concluded a deal for Viktor Gyokeres with Manchester United while we had an agreement with Arsenal.
“Man Utd closed the deal with Sporting, and that’s the reality.
“At some point, Sporting were insisting and pushing to offer Viktor Gyokeres to Man United and to get the deal done for less money than Arsenal with Manchester United in terms of fixed fee, but with better bonuses.
“United were ready to make the deal, but the problem then was always the player, Viktor Gyokeres with all respect for Man United, wanted to go to Arsenal and made very clear that his desire was to go to Arsenal.
“Sporting were pushing like crazy, there were three or four days where Sporting tried in every way to close the deal for Gyokeres to Man United.
“Gyokeres decided to wait, to resist, to be patient and then to join Arsenal as he wanted to do.”
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That United couldn’t get Gyokeres meant they landed Benjamin Sesko, who has so far scored twice in seven Premier League games.
Gyokeres has scored three in seven for Arsenal, so at the moment, there is little to split the two high-value summer striker signings.
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