As I write this the majority of Sporting Lisbon’s squad are reporting back for pre-season. One man who will be absent will be Viktor Gyokeres. The official line is having played a couple of international fixtures for Sweden it’s felt the striker deserved a longer holiday. In reality, it gives all parties another week to try and find a compromise. The 27-year-old has until 7th July to decide if he truly will follow through on his intention of not returning for training. While it’s easy to say in anger while sitting at home, the Swede will have representatives around him who will legally be advising him how to handle this situation.
Broken Promises or Business as Usual?
The player feels let down by his employers, believing they have gone back on their word to not price him out of a move this summer if he gave 12 more months of service. His agent has hinted he’s in possession of evidence which proves his client is telling the truth. Yet even if proven that the Portuguese champions have broken their promise, does that mean contractually they are obliged to accept any offer less than their valuation? While their president is not backing down on his asking price, it is he who has pushed for a clear-the-air meeting. His employee has so far rejected that opportunity, although that soon becomes harder to do when not coming back to work would be a breach of contract.
This is one transfer saga I understand why Arsenal are haggling over the fee simply because they have been given contrasting information. From a business point of view you’re not going to pay an extra €10-15 million if you don’t need to. It’s like a game of poker and a case of who blinks first. Does Frederico Varandas risk keeping an unhappy talent who, because of age, will reduce in value every year and whose output might suffer if angry? Or will someone eventually trigger the release clause? As long as our Director of Football hesitates there is that chance. The irony being Andrea Berta is taking Gyokeres at his word that the Emirates is his chosen destination.
Morality, Loyalty, and Fan Perception
What the Gunners are really waiting to see is whether the player would really go on strike. That would potentially burn bridges with a lot of his supporters in Portugal. The Lions gave the forward the platform to prove he could be prolific at the top level in Europe at a time when many had written him off. While morally he has a right to feel let down if a verbal agreement has not been honoured, he’s still paid thousands of pounds a week by the club. Would any protest include not accepting his wages?
In the ruthless world of football, fans don’t care about morality until it impacts them. Many of our fan base won’t care how the Primeira Liga’s top goalscorer forces a move to North London as long as it happens. The ends justify the means. Yet I know Gooners who would not welcome back Cesc Fabregas because he is alleged to have refused to train or feature in the Emirates Cup because he was aware a switch to Barcelona was being finalised. Adebayor and Ashley Cole have been adamant for years they wanted to stay a Gunner and it was Arsenal themselves who made the financial choice to backtrack. Despite David Dein verifying that the board went back on a handshake for a pay rise, it didn’t stop the left-back receiving abusive chants (go listen to the vile racial slurs aimed at Adebayor as well).
I defended Koscielny when he refused to board the plane for our US tour. No different to Gyokeres now, our then captain had pre-agreed a deal with management that either wasn’t communicated with the new regime or was ignored. The defender had suffered a serious Achilles injury and was at the point of his career where his body could no longer handle a game every few days. Mr Wenger was managing the centre-back’s minutes and they agreed it would be best for him physically if he returned home to France as long as a certain sum was matched. That was the information given to Bordeaux so our skipper felt let down when the new hierarchy asked for more. How many disappointed with the Frenchman at the time now hope Gyokeres does the same?
My own stance is in any workplace you are all a number. Even when it feels like you’re important that doesn’t last forever. My advice to any professional in any industry is put yourself first, as when their back is against the wall don’t think the club is going to be showing you any loyalty. What clubs are very good at is manipulating a supporter’s love for the badge and always portraying the player as the one showing no respect. That’s what Liverpool tried to do to Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose only crime was giving 100 percent effort till his contract expired before choosing to better himself with a fresh challenge.
It took Jürgen Klopp to interject to point out that it made little sense to boo a defender who pretty much won every trophy possible. That’s because the German is honest enough to know that if the right-back had broken his leg two years ago and couldn’t recover, the champions would release him without any criticism. Now that they have Kerkez, let’s see how much of a rush they are in to extend Robertson’s stay at Anfield. If the Scot claims to love the Kop does he qualify for a new deal?
The irony is the same people jeering Trent won’t ever question the club who every summer tell teenagers they are not good enough to be offered a professional contract. Do you think if a youngster cried, begged, insisted since a boy it was his dream to wear the red shirt in the Premiership, would that change anyone’s minds? Or is this a ruthless sport where people are paid to eliminate emotion and treat every player like a commodity, asking themselves how much this prospect can be an asset in the future? Either on the pitch or can they make a profit by selling them on?
Do you agree that Viktor Gyokeres should go on strike? Would it make you view his character any differently?
Your thoughts are most welcome in the comments Gooners.
Dan Smith
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Said it on another thread, a gentleman agreement is like a paper door, only if you respect it will you wait on it to open, if you do not you will walk right through it.
With the stakes this high, it’s very tempting for Sporting to go back on any form of agreement
As I have said before, I was all in for Sesko since 2023/24 when Arteta went for Havertz as a compromise. And until this season (2024/25) I was still for Sesko.
Then came the CL tie we played against Sporting Lisbon away. I got the time to watch Gyökeres close and personal, I was impressed by the way he run our defenders all over the place. He hardly got any service all game, he was feeding on scraps and crumbs as we dominated possession, we were so dominant in possession that for the majority of the game we had about 70% or more of the ball but every time the ball was pumped to Gyökeres I panicked as Gabriel and Saliba were being moved all over the place by Gyökeres.
Then after that game, I went back to watch the Man City vs Sporting Lisbon CL game. Gyökeres absolutely terrorised them and score a hat trick if I can remember correctly.
Since then I have been convinced that he is a very good player.
He’s absolutely a good player. Anyone who can smash a hat trick past Pep’s boys and score at the levels he does, even in Portugal, has got to be in the frame. The debate I think is more about whether he is the “right” player vs Sesko, given all the other pros and cons, which is not too a bad place to be 🙂
I don’t see any issue with his attitude regarding this.
It seems there was an agreement between him and Hugo Viana, but yes with the amount of money involved I am sure Sporting not hold to their word. Would you hold to your word if there was 20M odd on the line?? His agent dropped him here by not getting anything in writing.
The old movie mogul, Sam Goldwyn (the “G” in the movie studio, MGM) once said that “a verbal agreement isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on”.
Unless there’s any conclusive, written, evidence on either side, it’s basically down to “he said this/he said that”. Arsenal, as I’m sure they have been, would be well advised to keep a long way away from this if it “develops”.
Should Gyokores actually go on strike, pretty unlikely I would have thought, Arsenal could still sign him after all the fuss has died down. Whether they’d want to is another matter though – “the fuss” could put Gyokeres out of the frame permanently.
It would be very unprofessional of him if it was true, but he’d likely not join Arsenal
Sesko is more likely coming to the Emirates since he’s been following Arsenal’s IG
@Gai, I have my reservation for Sesko performance, may after two seasons. Gyokeres seem proven, and his previous expery in Championship would be a plus. His idea of going on a strike may not be appreciate but I think he genuinely likes Arsenal FC.
And that’s what I want from a player we want to buy.
Sesko although comes with a good all-round play but he seem to be indifferent about joining Arsenal. Him following Arsenal on IG counts for little, I have seen stars of other teams follow multiples clubs.
Maybe Arsenal are signing both of them
It would be scary for the oppositions if Gyokeres plays inverted-LW and Sesko starts in the CF position
gotanidea,
Maybe Arsenal are signing both of them. Well, that’s give me my good laugh of the day.😂🤣👍
Thanks for that. 👍
Sesko following the Arsenal IG is one thing.
Gyokeres breaking up with his Portuguese girlfriend (who wants to stay in Portugal) is a whole other level!
I sincerely thank you for the brilliant article – thank yo 🙌
This is what we want to read instaed of the bollocks, the so called news, misinfo fabricated by clickbait “reporters” floating around every summer window, that this very paltform is quilty of parroting way too often.
Thnaks again for the author of this interesting and very informative article – keep up the good work and standard 😊
Cheers mate
The end justifies the means. This might be the Portugal way and be normal there. In some countries that I know most this measure will result in incarceration of the player and those suspected of ‘ill advising’ him to do so. It’s tantamount to destructive and reactionary industrial strike. I hope he’ll not resort to such extreme measure in his next destination maybe at Arsenal.
No, it doesn’t.
I have a feeling that Sesko is closer because of his age, 22 years, while Gyo is 27.
I would like to see both of them on my team, but for now, one of them is a dream.
Gyokeres has the right to look for a new challenge only that the club is is greedy forgetting that come next summer transfer window the price will drop may be with 50%.
whether it is in Gyo’s right to take industry action or not depends on how solid was the verbal agreement the Club made, if any, with him.
How a verbal agreement is usually taken with a grain of salt or to what extent Gyo’s camp is naive in trusting the management are all irrelevant from an ethical point if view.
I don’t see how you can have a “solid” verbal agreement if the two parties to it (if there was an “it” of course) disagree about what was said as they appear to do in this case.
The crux here is surely that no firm evidence (written evidence really) has been presented so far, although I read that the player’s agent is “suggesting” he has some. If so, it’s time to put it on the table and get this saga over with.
Sky Sports has just released the best description of Chloe Kelly after signing. She’s the paragon of unsung heroines from reject to a game changer. There are some who operate and do wonders under the radar without much fanfare.
Our Kia has just raised an interesting point in Hugo Viana. This name leads us to the root cause of the conundrum why Gyo is still chained. Hugo dislikes us Arsenal for he’s now appointed the Sporting Director of Man City. He does not want his arch rival bolstered esp Arsenal after Arteta said bad about the 115 plus charges. Those who think conspiracy theory has no place in football are gullible and naive. Sorry Viana is dragging the process so that led to Gyo revolting in bizarre manner.
So the ex SD of SL, who is now the SD of Man City, is the reason that Gyokeres hasn’t left SL so far ? Rightho 🙄
If he refuses to return to training when everyone else has, then I wouldn’t want him. I can’t abide players that go on strike to force a move, that’s why I never took to Wiltord when he signed for us, as that’s what he did at Bordeaux.
If he returns to training when he’s due to I may very well change my mind.
Herr Drier,
You say you never took to Wiltord.
Does that mean you never celebrated him scoring for us. I’m not being funny, I’m genuinely interested.👍
I think we ought to look at each case individually ; Wiltord is Wiltord, Coutinho is Coutinho …
Also if we do not think we need to consider how solid, how honourable a verbal agreement is, we are saying everything should be looked at from a legal perspective and nothing else. I suppose honour, integrity and sense of judgement are things if the past.
Which club did Coutinho go on strike at ?
Honour and integrity would be ‘honouring’ the contract as it was written and signed by, less we forget, Viktor himself. Arguing over a gentleman’s agreement which has no basis in law, or even any evidence to support it beyond ‘he said, she said’, isn’t honour. It is irrelevant. The contract as signed is all that matters.
Beside the Viana – Gyo issue in the other front as well the former Liverpool manager Klopp has huge say in Sesko transfer as he’s directly responsible for the transfers of ‘Red Bull’ owned clubs. Is Klopp happy Arsenal strengthened? The money he gets from other clubs. Dubious duo targets encircled in conspiracy. Let’s not disappoint our fall back option Watkins.
Coutinho forced the transfer to Barcelona by refusing to train, so it was reported.
Chelsea will poach him. Arteta is letting all the fans down. Tight arsed and arriving late for the party. They should feel shame…tight arsed and going nowhere. It’s all talk and wind.
Dear Chubby,
Don’t we understand ethicity and legality often diverge?
Dear Chubby,
Don’t we understand ethicity and legality often diverge?
I sympathise with Gyökeres on a personal level, as it appears his loyalty for staying an extra year earned him nothing. As quite rightly pointed out in the article, if he had suffered a career-ending injury, the club would release him with very little ceremony, so why should he show the club any sort of leniency now? He has the right to withdraw his effort if he feels his employer is mistreating him.
From a club pov I can’t really understand Arsenal watching all this unfold when they could just get the deal done for maybe €10-15M and save everyone the stress and grief, rather than find some other player we don’t need to waste it on.