- Viktor Gyokeres deleted all references to Sporting from his social media profiles
- The striker accuses the club of breaking a promise to let him leave for €70 million
- Sporting president Frederico Varandas denies any agreement and refuses to be “blackmailed”
Key Takeaways:
Portuguese giants Sporting have been rocked by a major scandal involving superstar Viktor Gyokeres, who is expected to be one of the most sought-after names on the transfer market this summer.
The Swedish striker scored 97 goals in 102 matches over two seasons in Lisbon and played a key role in the club’s recent domestic double, winning both the league title and the cup less than a month ago.
However, yesterday Viktor removed the club’s name from his social media profiles, leaving only “professional footballer for the Swedish national team” – as if Sporting no longer exists.
Sporting says there's no 'gentleman's agreement' to sell Viktor Gyokeres for £59m ❌
He has a £85m release clause in his contract 💰 pic.twitter.com/eGOHIjTE98
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 11, 2025
According to Portuguese media, he is furious over a broken promise from the management, who allegedly guaranteed him that he would be allowed to leave for Manchester United, Arsenal, or Chelsea if a €70 million offer came in. These three clubs are all seriously interested in signing him. He blames the club officials for trying to extort potential buyers, thereby ruining his chances of completing a major transfer to England this summer.
The problem is that Sporting president Frederico Varandas sees things differently – and accuses Gyokeres of blackmail. He gave a lengthy interview just hours after the player’s actions, telling A Bola:
“There’s no way the player will leave for €60 million plus €10 million in add-ons, as he claims I promised. I never said such a thing. Viktor Gyokeres has a release clause and it’s no secret (reportedly €100 million). Whoever wants to get him will have to pay a fee close to that amount.
Yes, I told him we wouldn’t demand the full clause because he’s already 27 and that figure might scare off many clubs. But he’s not leaving for €60 or €70 million – we’re not idiots. And I’m not someone who can be blackmailed or strong-armed. The interests of Sporting come first.
His agent is behind all this, but it was that same agent who insisted on having this release clause included in the contract. He knows exactly what I’m talking about.”