Arsenal have finally snapped up striker Viktor Gyokeres after a tiresome transfer saga, though the Swede is less condemning of former club Sporting CP than one of his representatives
New Arsenal man Viktor Gyokeres has refused to follow his agent in criticising former club Sporting CP for how they dealt with his summer move. The 27-year-old’s Premier League switch was dragged out until last week, with clashes over a gentleman’s agreement and a hefty fine issued.
Gyokeres, having established himself as one of Europe’s finest goalscorers with 97 in 104 appearances for Sporting, always looked destined to make a big switch this window. He joined the Gunners last weekend for a fee rising to £63.7million, having also been courted by Manchester United, who he chose to snub.
Yet, the deal was not simple, as Gyokeres’s Sporting departure was a drawn-out affair. The club refuted a supposed gentleman’s agreement allowing the Swede to leave for less than his release clause, and the saga that ensued saw him fined for a training camp absence.
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Jonathan Chalkias, who works alongside Gyokeres’ agent Hasan Cetinkaya, hit out at Sporting this week, claiming that they showed the striker little respect, but Gyokeres himself has not followed suit.
Speaking to Swedish outlet WTV, Chalkias claimed that former Sporting chief Hugo Viana, who left for Manchester City, would have honoured the much-discussed gentleman’s agreement to let his client leave more simply for a lesser sum.
“It was a mess,” he began. “There was a gentleman’s agreement with the previous sporting director. If Hugo Viana were still at Sporting, the deal would have been done in an hour. Everything was written, we didn’t have time to start a legal battle.
“I don’t understand how a player who scored so many goals and won three trophies didn’t deserve more respect. The sacrifices we made were the turning point for the deal to happen.”
The gentleman’s agreement dispute was later followed up with Gyokeres being fined £306,000 – his salary for July – after he refused to report back for pre-season training in an attempt to speed up his departure.
However, Gyokeres, speaking to the same network after his move to Mikel Arteta’s side was sealed, insists that he does not need to lash out verbally, grateful that the ordeal is over.
“I don’t need to throw mud at anyone,” began the Swede, who made his first appearance for the Gunners against bitter rivals Tottenham on Thursday in Hong Kong. “I don’t need to say what others have done or decided.
“I don’t do that, even though there are people who seem to need to tell others how to behave. I’m not like that. As a footballer, you always strive to reach the top. I felt ready to take the next step, and I believe many people at the club expected that before the season ended.
“I didn’t find it strange that this desire came up this summer. I don’t think it came from our side either. Besides, my agents work for what’s best for my career, so there was some clash of interests, but that’s part of football.
“It’s been quite demanding mentally,” he continued. “It’s been hard, but it also makes us stronger. Of course, I may have questioned it a few times, but I always believed it would happen. So it was that balance over those weeks that made everything quite difficult, but now it’s even more enjoyable to be here. I feel very relieved and happy now.”
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