Sporting president warns of ‘hefty fine’ for Arsenal target Gyokeres over strike action

Viktor Gyokeres faces a “hefty fine” for refusing to show up at training for Sporting Lisbon, the Portuguese champions’ president has warned as his transfer saga drags on.

Gyokeres is reported to have agreed personal terms on a five-year contract with Arsenal, but the striker remains a Sporting player for now, with the Gunners having failed to strike a deal with Sporting despite claims of talks over a £70million move advancing.

Sporting president Frederico Varandas said last month the club would not demand Gyokeres’ full €100million (£85m) release clause.

But with Arsenal clearly yet to satisfy Sporting’s demands, Gyokeres has taken the step of staying away from training, though Varandas’ is adamant such a tactic will not lead his club to acquiesce and allow the Sweden international to leave for a fee below their asking price.

“If the geniuses who are devising this strategy think this puts pressure on me to facilitate an exit, they are not only completely wrong but are also making the player’s exit conditions even more complicated,” Varandas told Portuguese news agency Lusa.

Gyokeres has scored 97 goals in 102 games in two seasons with Sporting, firing them to back-to-back Primeira Liga titles as well as the Taca de Portugal in 2024-25.

Yet Varandas added of Gyokeres’ strike action: “No one is above the interests of the club, whoever they are.

“If they don’t want to pay for Viktor fair market value, we are perfectly comfortable with this for the next three years [the time left on Gyokeres’ contract].

“We are calm about all this. Everything can be resolved with a market closure, a heavy fine [for Gyokeres], and an apology to the group.”