According to reports, Sporting Lisbon rejected Chelsea’s €80 million offer to purchase former Coventry City player Viktor Gyokeres during the January transfer window.
With 20 goals and 10 assists in 24 official games for Sporting, the 25-year-old striker has established himself as a revelation in Portugal. He is now the second most lethal attacker in Europe, trailing only Harry Kane, who has 25 goals and 8 assists after 22 games for Bayern Munich.
The player has drawn the attention of “large European sharks,” according to Lisbon-based sports daily The Record. It also states that “in recent days,” Sporting rejected a bid from Chelsea that contained a fixed payment of 80 million euros and an additional 5 million euros based on goals. The former Sky Blues favorite, who will bring in a sizable bonus for the Championship team from a sell-on fee that is believed to be 10% of any profit on his initial £20 million deal, is also linked to Arsenal.
According to the source, Rúben Amorim, the manager of Sporting, is adamant that no “core” player will leave the team for less than the amount of their release clause. Gyokeres’ case has a set value of €100 million.
However, according to Record, the club is currently holding out for an improved offer from the English Premier League team. It states: “The €85 million that Chelsea has put up is already very close to that threshold, which leaves open a new attempt in what remains of the winter transfer window, which closes on February 2nd.”
Gyökeres, who only joined from Coventry last summer for €20 million + €4 million in goals, has stated that he intends to finish the season at Sporting. He contracted for five seasons, until June 2028. The striker would “leave the decision of whether or not to release him in January to the club’s hands,” according to the report.
It also adds that Rúben Amorim has already acknowledged that “Vik’s departure at this time would be difficult to fill,” so the club’s goal is to retain the player for at least another four months. Gyökeres has been “the great figure for Sporting,” who lead the League after the first round.
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