In-demand Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres admits that he 'can't promise' he'll still be at the club next season amid links of an £86million move to Arsenal.
Gyokeres, 25, has taken the Portuguese top flight by storm since his £17m switch from Coventry last summer, scoring a whopping 27 goals in 31 league games with 10 assists to boot. The Sweden international has now been linked with Arsenal, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, with Sporting only prepared to sell him for his €100m (£86m) release clause.
Having scored his 41st goal in all competitions this season over the weekend, the Lisbon giants were crowned Primeira Liga champions on Sunday thanks to local rivals Benfica suffering a shock 2-0 loss to Famalicao. Amid the celebrations in the Portuguese capital, Gyokeres was asked about his future and potentially waving goodbye to Sporting's fans after just a single campaign.
"It's football, I can't promise anything," the former Championship marksman replied. "I have a contract and I won't be sad if I stay, I'm very happy, but we'll see what happens. We can't predict much, but let's see what next year will be like, we still have games this season."
Gyokeres went on to laud his time in Lisbon and manager Ruben Amorim, affirming that their focus is on winning a league and cup double when Sporting play Porto in the Portugal Cup final on Sunday, May 26. "It's just beginning. It's my first title," the Swede continued.
"I explain the celebration at the end of the season, after the league and cup. Let's try to win everything. Ruben Amorim is a great coach, I wouldn't mind if he continued [laughs]. I had many coaches, but of course Ruben Amorim brought me here, it was very important in my career. Thank you Sportinguistas, see you soon."
Amorim - who's just confirmed that he'll be staying at the club next season - was crucial to Sporting's successful pursuit of Gyokeres, as the striker's agent, Hasan Cetinkaya, told A Bola last month: "There were eight clubs very interested in Viktor last summer,’ he added.
"They all paid Coventry more than Sporting, they all paid Viktor more, they all paid a higher commission to the agent. And I brought him to Sporting because of Ruben Amorim, because I know his work and his work with the players. I chose Ruben because he is a coach at another level."