Gyokeres gets monster £11m contract offer after shock Arsenal transfer U-turn

Arsenal and Manchester United have both been heavily linked with Viktor Gyokeres this summer but Juventus have now emerged as a rival in the race for the Sporting Lisbon star

Juventus are looking to steal in and swoop for Viktor Gyokeres with Arsenal putting a move for the Sporting Lisbon star on ice and are said to have offered the Swede a huge contract.

Gyokeres, 27, is hot property after another stellar season for the Portuguese champions and has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League amid interest from Arsenal and Manchester United, though he now seems unlikely to reunite with Ruben Amorim, his former Sporting boss, at Old Trafford.

Mirror Football revealed earlier this month that Gyokeres' preference would be a move to Arsenal, however, the Gunners are also pursuing Benjamin Sesko.

And with reports in Portugal claiming Arsenal have now gone cold on a move due to Sporting's transfer demands, Juve have made their move.

As outlined by Corriere dello Sport, the Italian giants want to muscle in on Gyokeres and have already indicated to the striker's representatives that they are willing to meet his £11million-a-year wage demands.

It's claimed elsewhere that Juventus plan to make a formal offer worth in excess of £60m in the coming days in a bid to get a deal for the former Coventry City man over the line.

Juventus' plot will come as a major blow to Arsenal, who remain keen on signing Gyokeres despite their reported 'frustrations' over the Sporting hierarchy's stance on a deal.

It was reported earlier this year that the club and Gyokeres had a gentleman's agreement which would allow him to leave for around £60m rather than the full value of his release clause.

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But that no longer appears to be the cause with Sporting angrily refuting such claims. Frederico Varandas, the club's president, has even accused Gyokeres' agent of “playing games” as the saga begins to turn ugly.

Whether or not that ultimately puts off his swathe of suitors remains to be seen but it is still thought that Gyokeres is highly likely to leave Portugal this summer.

Manchester United, meanwhile, are poised to ramp up their interest in Hugo Ekitike after being told that Gyokeres would favour a move to their Premier League rivals. The Red Devils are said to have already made contact with Eintracht Frankfurt over the sought-after France Under-21 star, who has also been linked with Chelsea and Liverpool.