The actual price tag for Swedish forward Viktor Gyökeres has become the most debated question among football market operators at major clubs in recent days. Directors from every club that has shown concrete interest in the 26-year-old number 9 (born in Stockholm in `98, developed at Brommapojkarna before spells in England, Germany, and Wales, and finding his definitive success in Portugal) are all seeking the answer.
This is far from a trivial question. Currently, there are two conflicting answers: one from Sporting CP in Portugal, and the other from Hasan Cetinkaya, Gyökeres`s agent, who is also Swedish. Cetinkaya recently commented on the cost of his most prominent client`s transfer fee, stating: “We have written proof that Sporting promised they would let him leave for 60 million euros plus an additional 10 million in bonuses.”
These remarks did not sit well with the Portuguese club. Sporting President Frederico Varandas responded: “Sporting will not demand the 100 million euro release clause, but you should know me better: threats, blackmail, insults do not work with me. It is not true that I promised he would leave; these blackmails are ineffective with me, and this maneuver by the agent will only worsen the situation.”
Essentially, a genuine tug-of-war is unfolding between Hasan Cetinkaya and Sporting`s leadership. This dispute directly impacts negotiations with interested clubs such as Arsenal, Juventus, and any other club aiming to acquire a player considered the closest equivalent to Haaland currently on the market. In the past two seasons, Gyökeres has scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting. That figure rises to over 100 goals when including those scored for the Swedish national team. These are impressive statistics for a player who recently turned 26.
Considering the various statements, his current market valuation is estimated to be between 80-90 million euros, in addition to a salary that would be far from modest. The question remains: who will ultimately prevail in this battle?
