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Tom OlverPublished Feb 6, 2024, 7:00pm|Updated Feb 6, 2024, 7:01pm
Chelsea face an uphill battle in landing free-scoring Sporting star Viktor Gyokeres – one of their top transfer targets – should they fail to secure Champions League football for next season.
Gyokeres, 25, completed a move from Coventry City to Sporting last summer and has gone on to establish himself as one of the most prolific forwards in European football, racking up 24 goals in his opening 27 appearances for the Portuguese outfit.
While Gyokeres failed to make the grade across four underwhelming years on Brighton’s books, the Swede’s recent exploits in front of goal have caught the attention of the Premier League’s elite and Chelsea are among his many admirers.
Reports last month claimed Chelsea even tested Sporting’s resolve with a £73million bid for Gyokeres’ signature. However, the Blues were told the attacker would only be sold if his €100m (£85m) release clause was paid in full.
Sporting manager Ruben Amorim will no doubt have been relieved as the January transfer window slammed shut with Gyokeres, his top scorer, staying put in Lisbon – and the club are now working to tie down their star man beyond the end of the campaign.
According to Portuguese outlet Record, Gyokeres’ entourage will travel to Lisbon to listen to what Sporting have to say about the Sweden international’s future.
The report adds that Sporting are keen to raise Gyokeres’ release clause to €120m (£102m) and will attempt to seduce the forward with the promise of Champions League football next term – something 11th-placed Chelsea will struggle to offer.
At his press conference on Tuesday, Sporting head coach Ruben Amorim insisted he was relaxed about Gyokeres’ future but denied that discussions were in place over a contract renewal.
‘He has a five-year contract, there’s no meeting to renew it,’ Amorim said.
‘We are not talking to Viktor’s agents.’
Gyokeres insisted he remained ‘100 per cent focussed’ on the task at hand at Sporting as rumours swirled over a possible big-money switch to Stamford Bridge last month.
‘I don’t think anything about it. I’m here and we have important games to play, I’m focused on that,’ he told Sport TV.
There’s a lot of talk on social media and elsewhere, but I’m not focused on that I don’t think about anything else. I’m here right now. I’m 100 per cent focussed on this and the club.’
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