The majority of Sporting Lisbon’s squad returned for pre-season training last Monday. Viktor Gyökeres, however, was granted an extended break after playing for Sweden in the summer. Originally, he was expected back on 7th July.
It’s not for us to say someone isn’t being honest, but this delay conveniently allows all parties more time to find a compromise and avoid a PR disaster. For weeks, the 27-year-old has made clear his frustration with Sporting over what he claims was a broken verbal agreement. The striker believes the club are trying to price him out of a move and has reportedly refused meetings to clear the air.
That’s easy to do while you’re still on a beach. Less so when you’re legally supposed to be back at work. His agent claims to have evidence supporting his client’s version of events. Still, even if Sporting did break a promise, they’re not obliged to accept a fee they deem too low. Yet the Swedish forward is telling friends and family that he’s moving to Arsenal, won’t play in the Primeira Liga again, and is even prepared to strike by refusing to return to training.
Several outlets now report that his return has been pushed to Friday to give time to resolve the issue, the closest we’ve come all summer to Gyökeres becoming a Gunner.
That saga inspired this list: 10 times Arsenal players left (or tried to leave) in ways that weren’t exactly professional.
Anelka Hides in a Hotel
Anelka has since admitted he regrets the way he left Highbury. At 17, he naturally listened to his older brothers, who acted as his agents and prioritised financial gain. Arsène Wenger placed enormous faith in him and was personally hurt by the lack of communication.
Neither Wenger nor David Dein could get the youngster on the phone. His brothers kept him holed up in a hotel, screening calls, and negotiating with clubs on their terms. Eventually, they contacted Arsenal only after speaking to six other clubs and made it clear Anelka wouldn’t return for pre-season.
Ian Wright Gives an Ultimatum
Ian Wright is a club legend, but even he once handed in a transfer request. Disillusioned under Bruce Rioch’s defensively rigid training, Wright threatened to leave. Deep down, he hoped David Dein’s love for the club and himself would change things. It did.
Sol Campbell Goes AWOL
In 2006, Sol Campbell walked out of Highbury at half-time and vanished abroad for three days without notifying anyone. Mental health support was lacking at the time, and Campbell later said Arsenal could have done more. Still, disappearing without explanation is unprofessional by any standard. Once communication resumed, it was agreed he would leave at season’s end.
Ashley Cole Caught Talking to the Devil
Cole has long argued he wanted to stay and thought an agreement was in place before Arsenal backtracked. David Dein later admitted the board made an error. Even so, Cole was caught meeting with José Mourinho and Peter Kenyon, despite Arsenal accusing Chelsea of tapping him up. The FA fined all parties involved.
Jermaine Pennant Goes to Jail
Wenger rarely gives up on young talent, but Pennant tested that resolve. While not overtly disrespectful to Arsenal, his off-pitch behaviour was far from professional. From nights out to playing hungover and spending time with gangs, it all culminated in a jail sentence for drink-driving while on loan at Birmingham. That ended his Arsenal chances.
Fabregas Refuses to Play?
By 2011, Fabregas’s return to Barcelona felt inevitable. Believing a deal was close, he reportedly refused to play in the Emirates Cup or exaggerated an injury to avoid jeopardising the move. It was never confirmed by the club, but the optics were poor. Even worse was Spain draping him in a Barca shirt after the 2010 World Cup.
When he left Camp Nou, Arsenal had first refusal, and he wanted to return. Wenger declined, believing the message had to be clear: players can’t just come back when things go wrong.
Koscielny Refuses to Fly
Koscielny felt Arsenal had broken a promise. After serious injury, he could no longer play three matches a week. Wenger had managed his minutes, and the club allegedly promised he could leave if a French club met a valuation.
Unai Emery either wasn’t aware or didn’t honour that agreement. Koscielny responded by refusing to travel for the club’s pre-season tour.
Guendouzi Refuses to Say Sorry
Arteta made it clear he expected discipline and professionalism. Guendouzi had already been warned, but during a defeat to Brighton, he reportedly mocked opponents over wages. Arteta asked for an apology. Guendouzi refused, and that was the end of his Arsenal career. While on loan, he made it clear he had no intention of returning.
Aubameyang’s Timekeeping
The striker had a history of poor punctuality, even before Arteta’s reign. He was warned repeatedly. After returning late from an authorised trip to France, he was stripped of the captaincy and frozen out.
The All or Nothing documentary revealed Arteta kept a dossier of infractions, including COVID breaches. In his final act of defiance, Aubameyang flew to Spain without permission while Arsenal tried to negotiate a termination with Barcelona.
Social Media Rant: Maitland-Niles
If Ethan Nwaneri is demanding assurances, he could learn from Maitland-Niles. Both Emery and Arteta saw his future at full back, where he won the FA Cup and earned England caps. But Maitland-Niles believed he was a midfielder.
When a move to Everton collapsed due to finances, he took to Instagram saying, “I want to go where I’m wanted and will play.”
Arteta met with him, but the damage was done. He was loaned out multiple times before joining Lyon on a free. At all three clubs, he played mostly full back, just as he could have at Arsenal.
Your thoughts much appreciated in the comments.
Dan Smith
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Player power is getting stronger in each transfer window, hence the absurd player valuations
I wouldn’t be surprised if Gyokeres eventually manages to force his move to Arsenal
The players left because theyceltyit wasn’t working for them. Who are you to judge whether it was professor unprofessional. Bring back the 20 Pounds maximum wage???
I’m beginning to dislike the ‘touchline nutter’ Arteta. There is not an earthly we can win the league due to Arteta’s OCD. Madueke is a symptom of this. We, like in the January window, will still not have a striker. Arteta’s penchant for ‘self harm’ will ensure this. He was eternally no 2 at City and it is clear he will always finish second at Arsenal. Sorry, but Arteta is ‘Damaged Goods’. After 68 years of watching my beloved Arsenal, one manager, Arteta’ will destroy my final chance to see us rise to the top.
Self sabotage. He always goes out of his way to ensure it’s success.
Sad to see a filter system towards any critique. Seems that Just Arsenal is vetted my MI6 and that we are part of Russia.
How on earth can you include Ian Wright in that list ? He done it the professional way by putting in a written transfer request.
As for that 🐀 Fabregas, you forgot to mention that he also refused to go on the Far East tour and refused to go to Portugal for the friendly game against Benfica.
Opinions mate
So by doing it the proper way by putting in a written transfer request, it “wasn’t exactly professional” 🤣🤣🤣.
Tell all of us what a player should do exactly when they want to leave a club while they are still under a contract ?
He didn’t leave the club though mate
He literally did so in the hope David Dein would pick him over the manager
I know darn well he didn’t leave 🙄, but that doesn’t matter. You included him in an article about players who acted unprofessionally in leaving.
HE ACTED PROFESSIONALLY BY HANDING IN A WRITTEN TRANSFER REQUEST. That’s what players did in those days Still !!!
Nah mate disagree
It’s not professional if you don’t really intend to leave
He’s admitted it was a mistake and wrong of him
But it’s opinions mate
Of course you disagree Still 😂, as to agree with me would go against what you wrote in the article 😂.
If he didn’t intend to leave, then that beggars two questions.
1) Why put in a written transfer request ?
2) Why did he then speak to Chelsea about joining them ?
So David Dein would sack the manager
He admits that in his book lol.
Hence mate when manager was sacked he withdrew transfer request
So Still, he didn’t put in the written transfer request to leave, he did it to get Rioch the sack ?
Yes mate
Not going to answer if you keep asking the same question lol
It’s another well known story
My job isn’t to keep writing the articles and spend all night educating you lol.
Ian Wright admits all of this in his book
Hence why he’s hand in transfer request and manager is sacked and suddenly … He withdrew request
Well Still, you’ve just contridicted your what you wrote in the article. You wrote “10 times Arsenal players left (or tried to leave) in ways that weren’t exactly professional.
As for you trying to educate me, that’s the second time you’ve come out with that and it’s still funny 😂😂😂😂😂. You really are a comedian 😂😂.
Not me mate constantly responding to your articles lol.
Your obsessed with me
I bet this your only interaction lol ?
The reason I mainly respond to your articles is because they aren’t factually correct 😁.
Well you would certainly lose that bet 😂😂.
Okay let’s see how long you can go without responding or mentioning me to others lol
I’ll do what I like, thank you very much Still 😁.
At least I answer questions, not swerve them like you do.
Mate I answer quite a few of your questions but I can’t answer every one
Allot of times Im having to teach you the history of the club
So if I don’t respond I’m not being rude mate lol
There you go again Still with your comedy act of “I’m having to teach you the history of the club” 😂😂. I’m the one that educates you on that subject !
I’ll ask you again, for the 3rd time, which player was put on his arse by a Gooner while on the Tuesday Club ?
Mate it’s a bit strange though
You clearly don’t like my articles
Admin and other readers will now be watching / reading me to suggest just stop commenting
So why would you still want to respond ?.lol.
All I know is you didn’t know there was a drinking culture at the club when Mr Wenger arrived
Didn’t know that Wenger by players own admission extended their careers
Didn’t know that Mr Wenger is our most successful manager in our history
Think players leaving on a free when they are older is the same as ripping up contracts
Make up who is man of the match directly after a game ( making me think you don’t even watch it )
Didn’t know that Ozil played after the China comments
Didn’t know about racism and abusive chants at the Emirates
Get your predictions wrong all the time
So again , I’m.not here to be your entertainment
Let’s see how long you can go lol.
Which Gooner was invited to a film premiere to met Mr Wenger and the players because my work was spotted , gets the most views on this site , gets invited onto podcasts, gets sent books to review ,etc
Again mate , it’s not me sitting there every night waiting for your article lol
Lets see if you leave me alone or get more obsessed lol
Still, I knew about the Tuesday Club long before Wenger rocked up in ’96.
I knew that Wenger extended the careers of the greatest defence the club has ever had.
I know that Wenger has won the most trophies as the manager of The Arsenal.
Wiltord, Edu, Arsharvin weren’t old when they left on a free.
As for the MOTM, I didn’t say it straight after the match. I said it a few days later, and acknowledged I was wrong (which is something you can never do).
I knew Ozil played after he made that comment about China, but I’ve always said he never played again after the Chinese company that had the rights to show the PL games renaged on their payment that was due to the PL, which cost every PL club £ms.
What predictions have I got wrong ?
You are definitely here for my entertainment, as you get most things wrong 😂.
I can go all night if I want. How about you ?
Good for you that you met those people. I have met many of former players at events. Even had a drink with Michael Thomas, you ever heard of him ?
Do you have to pay for your proof reader when you do your articles, or does one of the admins do it ?
Hardly obsessed with you, just replying to your comical posts 👍
Is an employee not entitled to quit his job if he doesn’t feel okay with the condition?
Yes mate but to do it just to get someone else sacked isn’t a great look and probably a mistake
That’s his own words by the way in his book
Herr Drier,
You give me the impression that your not a Fabregas fan. Just a feeling I get.🤣👍
Derek, I was a big fan of him, but I just don’t like the way he orchestrated his move to Barcelona. I have no problem with a player leaving, just don’t go on strike to achieve the move.
Herr Drier,
What’s your take on the Gyokeres situation, given your stance on Fabregas.
I actually agree with you regards Fabregas by the way. If a player has a gripe then put in a transfer request and go from there.
That was my problem with Ashley Cole, he felt wronged by Arsenal, so put in a transfer request. You don’t go for secret meetings with another team, and then complain when Arsenal then leave you out to dry as Ashley Cole called it.
Derek, if he goes on strike then I won’t be happy if we do sign him. Will I cheer if he scores a goal, yes, but just like when Wiltord scored, I’ll cheer the goal but not the scorer.
Regarding Ashley Cole, quite a few years ago I heard an interview with Liam Brady after he left his job at our Academy. He said that in January 1980 he had what he called a “candlestine meeting with Uli Hoeness” of Bayern Munich about joining them when his contract ran in June. In them days a player had to wait until his contract was finished before he could talk to another club. So imho, Cole did the same as Brady, it was wrong but it goes on all the time.
Oh without question it goes’ on Herr Drier.
Lets face it, fellow players on international breaks can tap up said player via being asked to by his club manager, to see if they would be open to a move to said club.
But with the Ashley Cole saga, what got me was Cole complaining that Arsenal left him out to dry once he’s been found out. Well what else did he expect?. 🤷♂️
Managing modern footballers is challenging enough, dealing with some of the ‘precious’ prima donnas must be a nightmare. If true about the Gyokeres situation we should just walk away. Hopefully other options are being explored.
A case in point is Luis Enrique, he got shot of Neymar, Messi and Mbappe and look at PSG now.
I beg to defer
Messi and Neymar left before Enrique was hired. Both players played under Enrique and I believe he will be happy to manage them again but Messi has had enough of PSG(vice versa) so he left immediately his contract expires and never took up the one year option.
And about players throwing tantrums
Arshavin and Trosaard reminds me of players who fans were happy to receive with open arms. And you know what they did before they came to Arsenal?
Everybody are all hypocrite when it happens to there own players. But when said player comes to us (especially the one we like), we suddenly don’t have issue with it.
Bob’s, you firstly say that Messi and Neymar left before Enrique was hired, but then say both played under him.
Which is it ?
See my point
You constantly need everything explained to you
It’s an opinion site not your free education lol
Enrique worked with Messi and Neymar at Barcelona but not PSG
Still, then Bobs should have put that in his post 🙄
Still, I see yet again you failed to answer a question from me last night. No surprise there.
Because I said I no longer would mate
Your obsessed
It’s really odd behavior
You don’t like my articles but want me to interact with you all night lol ?
That’s weird dude
Why not interact with people who’s articles you do like
Your issue is , you have an agenda .
Your interest is to trip people up but the issue is you have not go the knowledge so make yourself look silly
Either way if you don’t like my work why do you constantly interact ?
Ask your friends and family if that’s normal behavior?
Yet again another assumption by you Still that I don’t like your articles. Your problem is you don’t like being corrected/educated. If I didn’t like your articles I wouldn’t have agreed with you on the article you wrote the other year about Liverpool in Paris.
You refuse to answer questions because it will prove that you don’t know the answer. It’s not just the question I asked you last night about predictions, you couldn’t answer my question about PEA and the Footbonaut at the BVB training ground the other day.
Herr Diet
Do I have to reach under the pot before I can eat?
I believe Dan didn’t ask me before he knew what I’m saying
Now I see reason why Dan said, he had to teach you history.
You don’t know much or remember much about football until everything is been explained to you in details.
Herr Drier
Sorry about the spelling of your name.
It was a mistake
Bobs, no problem, as auto correct will do that, as can be seen in my first post to you regarding your name.
Bobs, Still couldn’t educate me on Football, as has been proved by his failure to answer my questions. The fact of the matter is that I have to keep educating him.
I think he assumed that most would know that Neymar, Messi and Enrique had links to Barcelona lol
Famously won the Champions League together
That’s my point , you can’t expect every writer or person who comments to spoon feed you .
The assumption is you have a basic grasp of the sport
Like not knowing Messi and Neymar worked with Enrique at Barcelona?
I can understand why he would assume most would know that
Exactly Dan
When I wrote both left PSG before Enrique came in and later wrote, Both played under Enrique (which every football fan knew both did not play under Enrique at PSG) I believe intelligent people (not saying he’s not, cos I believe he shld be) should know I’m talking about there days in Barcelona.
Sporting have played themselves in this deal and made a mess of it for everyone involved. Per reports they are reneging on an agreement to allow him to leave for 50m+8m pound fee which we are covering. Gyokeres has gone full nuclear option furthermore weakening their hand.
Viktor Gyökeres 56.2
Martin Zumbimendi 55.8
Christian Nørgaard 10
Kepa Arrizabalaga 5
Noni Madueke 48
That’s 175m spent excluding add-ons and still need to buy a LW. We have the upperhand and rightfully using it to bargain with sporting.
Do you have any thoughts on who might leave and what they might fetch? That would help the financial situation
Financial situation if fine
Net spend will be under 200 I reckon thougn
Dan thanks for the flashbacks. In 2005/6 a lot was said about Henry leaving Arsenal to join Barcelona next season. In the 2nd leg of the UCL SFs against Villarreal Henry did receive the shirt of Barca thrown to him by a pitch invader and tried to protect the boy from the stewards. Some say Henry should not have caught the shirt which was then interpreted as confirmation of the rumour. In the final Henry of course missed sitters v Barca unHenry like. At the end of the season everyone was expecting his announcement to Barca but he did the face saving and postponed it by a year. For me I didn’t like the way he went to Barca.
I totally agree with your last sentence, especially after the statement Henry made on the clubs website after signing his his new contract in ’06 that he didn’t want to go to Barcelona.
That all changed the following year, which may have been because of his divorce and wanting a fresh start in a new country.
Thanks. Only true gentleman who respected Arsenal until the end is a one club man Mr ARSENAL Tony Adams. Others after leaving did harm Arsenal as a player or coach. Arsenal lost the title in early 2000s due to a draw with Leeds who was coached by an Arsenal and Irish CB player.
Ambachew,
A certain man named David O’ Leary. Another one club man as a player I believe. I remember him as deceptively quick, he didn’t look quick. But once in stride he covered the ground at a good pace.
Thanks Derek you got him perfect. Yeah O’Leary one club man but he hurt us badly as a Leeds coach even at Highbury. He handed the trophy over to Man Utd. I understand it’s his profession why he was hired for. But that was a painful own goal experience.
Derek, I’m pretty sure David O’Leary played for Leeds after leaving us before retiring.
Yes your correct Herr Drier,
He did indeed play for Leeds, before going on to manage Leeds and then Aston Villa.
I think there was a period where he was hoping to manage Arsenal one day, hence there was a bit of bad blood from him for a while if my memory serves me correctly.
I went to his Testimonial against Manchester United, where the defenders parted to let him score.
Testimonials, they seem to be a thing of the past. But that said not many players spend 10 years at a club these days do they, with their get out clauses.
Thanks again for correcting me, good job your here.😂👍
I was there for his testimonial as well, and as you say, their defence just parted.
Testimonials were brought in during the days when players didn’t really earn that much. Quite a few years ago, players that earned the right to a testimonial decided to give the money from the game to charities, which I always applauded.
Herr Drier,
I totally agree. 👍
So Derek you’ve made a collateral damage on me as I also followed you and said O’Leary was a one club player. Mine is included in your apologies. You pointed out what I really wanted to know about him that is he at last had bad blood with Arsenal. Yes that was why he made a stumbling block on Arsenal. Gave the title to Utd which Steve Bruce wouldn’t dare to do. Bruce always paves the way for SAF while he was Wigan, Birmingham and Sunderland manager. Tony Adams always and forever true GUNNER!!!
Ambachew,
You’ve got nothing to apologize for my friend. I to forgot about him playing for as well as managing Leeds.
We’re all entitled to have senior moments in memory I suppose.😂👍
If the article includes coaches, I think nothing parallels the departure of George Graham. First the reported financial irregularity accusation and then the worst misdeed was he later coaching Spurs. If in this modern day, what would happen as we know what happened with Luis Figo and Sol?