Viktor Gyokeres tells friends his next club after Arsenal and Man Utd transfer offers 

Viktor Gyokeres has informed friends and family that he expects to leave Sporting for Arsenal this summer, according to reports.

The 27-year-old has established himself as one of the most sought-after strikers in European football on the back of a magnificent second season with Sporting, in which he scored 54 goals in 52 games to help steer the club to a domestic double.

A host of Europe’s elite teams have been credited with an interest in signing Gyokeres, with the Gunners finding themselves in pole position to wrap up a deal for the prolific Sweden international.

The likes of Juventus and Atletico Madrid have also been heavily linked, while Manchester United are understood to have made the former Coventry City man a lucrative offer to become the focal point of Ruben Amorim’s misfiring attack.

But Gyokeres is intent on playing Champions League football next term and is believed to have turned down a proposed move to Old Trafford in favour of a switch to the Emirates.

A bitter feud between Gyokeres’ agent, Hasan Cetinkaya, and Sporting’s president, Frederico Varandas, has complicated matters somewhat, with the latter denying the existence of a supposed gentleman’s agreement which would allow the player to leave for £59million.

But Gyokeres is confident a resolution will be found in due course and according to talkSPORT, the Swede has now told his loved ones that they can expect to see him playing in Arsenal’s colours next season.

The north Londoners saw an opening offer of €55m (£46.8m) rejected out of hand by Sportin and are set to return with an improved bid for Gyokeres over the coming days.

‘There is a lot of talks at the moment, most of it is false. I will speak when the time is right,’ Gyokeres told his followers on Instagram last week.

Gyokeres’ current contract in Lisbon runs through to June 2028.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko remains an option for Arsenal should they fail in pursuit of a deal for Gyokeres.

However, the Gunners will have to fend off strong competition from Saudi Pro League outfit A-Hilal should they switch their attentions to the 22-year-old Slovenian this summer.

While Arsenal have been in talks with RB Leipzig over a possible move for Sesko since last month, there has been little progress regarding a proposed deal, with the Bundesliga club demanding in excess of £70m for the attacker.

Quizzed about rumours he is pressing RB Leipzig to lower their demands, Sesko’s agent, Elvis Basanovic, told Give Me Sport: ‘This is far from truth!

‘We respect RB Leipzig and I am 100 per cent convinced RB Leipzig will also respect our decision for the next step when we decide to do it.

‘Even if there may be – or will be – a strong desire of the player to move to a certain club, we will never force or blackmail RB Leipzig.

‘I believe this is not the right way, because the way you actually exit from the club shows your values. Values that you are bringing into a new club.

‘I can understand in very big transfers, there are a lot of different interests but no matter what, I believe in football world should be more respect.

‘So that’s why we do things in the right way or we don’t do them. It’s very simple, even maybe in the media it looks very complicated.’

Basanovic suggested Sesko could opt to stay put in German football if he is not presented with the right offer this summer.

‘Well, his numbers at his age compared to some strikers with already great careers at his age are confirming my words,’ he added.

‘He will move from RB Leipzig only when we recognise a special club, a special project with a special coach.’

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