What is going on with Viktor Gyokeres? Blackmail claims, Man Utd rejection reports and how the Sporting CP superstar's summer isn't going as planned

The Sweden international's goal-scoring feats have made him the most intriguing target of the summer, but his next destination is far from clear

Every transfer window needs a good saga, and the battle to sign Viktor Gyokeres is easily the most interesting of all the potential moves this summer. There was always going to be huge interest in the Sporting CP striker after he finished as the top scorer in Europe last season with 39 league goals, the most in a Portuguese top-flight season in 40 years. In all competitions, he found the net on 54 occasions.

Gyokeres' goals made a huge difference, too. Sporting won the Portuguese title by two points, his late goal against Vitoria on the final day of the season sealing their crown. He also scored in the Taca de Portugal (domestic cup) final win against Benfica, levelling the match with a penalty in the 11th minute of added time to force extra-time.

The 2024-25 season wasn't a one-off either. In the previous campaign, Gyokeres had also fired Sporting to the Portuguese title and finished as top scorer with 29 goals. In his two seasons in Lisbon, he has scored 97 goals in 102 appearances. Right now, however, there is no clear destination for the most in-demand striker in Europe, and that is despite a whirlwind of stories circulating around the 27-year-old, linking him to some colossal clubs such as Arsenal, Manchester United and Juventus.

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There has been talk of blackmail, broken promises, the player going on strike in order to get his move and eye-watering salary demands being made. The race to sign Gyokeres has all the intrigue of a smash hit television drama, and the football world is hooked…

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