Arsenal respond after top target Viktor Gyokeres snubs Man Utd transfer

Arsenal and Manchester United have been heavily linked with Viktor Gyokeres but the Sporting Lisbon star is now said to have ruled out a summer move to Old Trafford

Arsenal are said to be readying an offer for Viktor Gyokeres with the Sporting Lisbon striker seemingly not interested in reuniting with Ruben Amorim at Manchester United.

Gyokeres, 27, has been heavily linked with both the Gunners and United after another fine season in Portugal, where his goals fired Sporting to another league title. And after plenty of talk about a blockbuster transfer, it seems things are finally starting to happen.

Arsenal and United are both in the market for more firepower, with the former understood to be targeting either Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig.

United are coming off the back of their worst ever Premier League campaign and, with that in mind, Portuguese outlet Record claims Gyokeres' representatives have told the Red Devils he will not be joining them this summer.

And in a double whammy for United the report adds that Arsenal are now 'preparing a second offer' for the striker in a bid to bring him to north London.

It's claimed that Sporting have already rejected an offer from Arsenal in the hope of banking at least €70million (£59.2m) before agreeing to part ways with their star forward.

It remains to be seen if Arsenal do put down a fresh offer for Gyokeres given the recent noise centred around Sesko; the Slovenia striker, like Gyokeres, is expected to move this summer and has no shortage of suitors and Arsenal have held transfer talks.

In Gyokeres' case, he is known to have an £85m release clause in his contract. It was, however, reported that the club would sanction an exit for just £59m this summer.

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Frederico Varandas, Sporting's president, has disputed that, though, in the recent days. Speaking in a press conference on Wednesday, hesaid: "I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60m euros plus 10m euros because I never promised that.

"To this day Sporting has not had an offer for Gyokeres - neither today nor last season."

"Sporting will not demand the release clause, but they should know me better by now: threats, blackmail, insults, they don't work with me," he added.

"I can guarantee one thing: Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for €60m + €10m. He won't leave because I never allowed it, and with this game that the agent is playing, the situation will only get worse."