A storm of speculation has been caused by comments from Gyökeres’s representatives.
Viktor Gyökeres made his Premier League debut for Arsenal at Old Trafford on the opening day of the 2025–26 campaign. But had his former employers Sporting CP gotten their way, the prolific Swede would have been lining up for Manchester United rather than the visitors.
Despite presenting a more inviting transfer package than their Premier League rivals, it was the player himself who forced through a move to Arsenal rather than the Red Devils.
The process of extracting Gyökeres from Lisbon was a draining one for the Gunners. Amid wild accusations of blackmail, betrayal and a playing strike, Arsenal eventually managed to seal a deal worth an initial €63.5 million (£55.3 million, $73.7 million) with a further €10 million available in performance-related add-ons.
