Arsenal ready to 'give up' on Viktor Gyokeres transfer over payment frustration

  /  autty

Arsenal and Sporting Lisbon have been locked in talks over a deal for Viktor Gyokeres but it has now been claimed that the Gunners are preparing to walking away

Arsenal are close to 'giving up' on a deal for Viktor Gyokeres, it's claimed, after still failing to reach an agreement with Sporting Lisbon over a financial package for the sought-after striker.

The Gunners have been locked in talks with Sporting over a deal for Gyokeres, 27, after making the Swede their primary striker target. But a delegation led by Andrea Berta, the club's new sporting director, were unable to agree a deal with Sporting during face-to-face talks in Portugal recently.

Gyokeres was told he didn't have to return to pre-season training on Monday alongside many of his team-mates as the club looked to thrash out a deal. He was told he could stay away until Friday, with the expectation that the two clubs would get a deal agreed and he wouldn't have to join - having made clear that he wants to leave.

Speculation over the status of the deal has been rife in recent days with Sporting demanding a guaranteed £69million for their No.9 - with the vast majority up front. Portuguese outlet Abola now claim that Arsenal are about to give up on achieving a deal after failing to reach out to Sporting to continue negotiations.

That comes after 'intense' talks over the weekend between both clubs. Those discussions failed to yield an agreement, though, with the report claiming that the deal is now close to collapsing.

It's understood that Arsenal and Sporting are struggling to agree the make up of the transfer fee for the wantaway Swede. But Sporting want £69million in total, with £60m up front and the remaining £9m in add-ons.

So far, Arsenal are looking to deal with £56m up front, £4.5m in add-ons and then the remaining £8.5m in performance-related payments. Thus, it's not all guaranteed money. As such, there's a stalemate.

The player has already indicated that he will not return to pre-season training tomorrow as he tries to push through a dream move to the Premier League.

Mirror Football outlined previously that Gyokeres and Arsenal have already agreed personal terms on a five-year contract worth £200,000-a-week.

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News that the deal could now break down will come as a major blow to Mikel Arteta, whose side lacks a quality No.9. It remains to be seen if talks will continue after a break in negotiations or if Arsenal will move on to other targets.

The Gunners have also been heavily linked with Benjamin Sesko this summer and the Slovenia star was the subject of transfer interest from the club last summer before eventually signing a new contract with RB Leipzig.

It's understood that Arsenal also struggled to agree a fee with Leipzig for Sesko, though, before approaching Sporting over a deal for Gyokeres. Sesko has been linked with other clubs including Al-Hilal, who are said to be considering a huge offer for the frontman after learning they are unlikely to sign Victor Osimhen.

Related: Arsenal Sporting CP RB Leipzig Arteta Viktor Gyökeres Benjamin Sesko
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