Gyokeres deal edge closer to collapsing after three days without contact

Arsenal's sporting director, Andrea Berta, arrived in Lisbon on Friday and departed empty-handed on Monday, having failed to secure Gyokeres's transfer.

Sporting is demanding 80 million euros, a potentially achievable figure, but not through the formula Berta proposed: 65 million euros upfront plus 15 million in add-ons, even though 5 million of those were easily attainable.

Sporting wants an additional 5 million in the fixed fee, with 10 million in variables, and they're refusing to budge from the 70+10 structure.

Arsenal source tells A BOLA that the club is about to give up on the Swedish striker. Three days without contact from the Gunners and the deal looks increasingly unlikely. Striker remains adamant he won't report to Alcochete tomorrow.

Three days of silence. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday passed with no word from Arsenal to Sporting regarding a renewed bid for Gyokeres.

The Gunners left Lisbon Monday morning after an intense weekend of negotiations, admitting they might be willing to increase their offer. However, as of today, Thursday, July 10, 2025, the London club is considering walking away.

A highly placed source at Arsenal with intimate knowledge of the negotiations told A BOLA that the deal is on the verge of collapse, largely due to Sporting's unwavering stance on their valuation of the Swedish international.

Present at the weekend meetings with Berta was one of the player's agents, Kenan Mert, a partner of Hasan Cetinkaya. Mert claims to have assurances from Sporting's former sporting director, Hugo Viana, now at Manchester City, that a transfer fee of 60-70 million euros would be accepted this summer.

This is why the striker agreed to stay at Alvalade for another season, aiming for a consecutive league title and Champions League football. This understanding led to a hardening of positions once it became clear a higher fee would be required.

Both sides remain entrenched, with Sporting unyielding on their valuation and payment structure, and Arsenal's director now reportedly frustrated with Sporting's position and losing patience. This impasse is stalling the deal and could lead to its collapse.

Viktor Gyokeres continues to refuse to report for pre-season training at Alvalade. His desire to join Arsenal is so strong that he's willing to forgo 2 million euros of the 8.3 million annual salary offered by the Gunners over the proposed five-year contract. The 27-year-old Swedish striker was granted permission to report to Alcochete tomorrow, but remains steadfast in his decision to hold out as a form of protest and to force a move.

This saga began in mid-June when, without a formal offer, the English club floated a figure of 55 million euros plus 10 million in add-ons during a meeting in Menorca attended by Sporting's general director of football, Bernardo Morais Palmeiro, and Andrea Berta. That initial offer was quickly dismissed, and the second, now more concrete, remains insufficient.