Sporting Lisbon president Frederico Varandas has fiercely denied claims his club will be bullied into selling Viktor Gyokeres below value.
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Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool all hold interest in the Swedish striker after a stellar season in Portugal.
Reports suggested Gyokeres threatened to strike, frustrated by Sporting allegedly increasing their price despite a verbal exit agreement.
The 27-year-old has an £85m release clause, though prior reports indicated a potential sale at around £60m plus £10m in add-ons.
Varandas addressed the speculation directly, rejecting all accusations of dishonesty or manipulation from the player’s camp and media sources.
He said there was never a formal agreement on a specific transfer fee, only a promise not to enforce the full release clause.
The Sporting president stressed his club “won’t accept blackmail or insults,” confirming no official bids have been received as yet.
He insisted Gyokeres remains one of the most valuable players in Portuguese football, and any deal must reflect that standing properly.
Despite Premier League interest, Gyokeres is also attracting attention from Saudi sides, though he prefers staying in Europe before the 2026 World Cup, report Talk Sport.
His connection to United boss Ruben Amorim may yet sway his next move, but Sporting’s stance remains firm and unapologetic.
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