Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas has reiterated that the club will not sell Manchester United target Viktor Gyokeres for €70 million. He cited the €75 million fee paid by the Red Devils for Matheus Cunha as an example and set it as the benchmark for negotiations.
Varandas said that he was not going to hold out for the €100 million release clause, but he does not see €70 million as a fair price. He added that Martin Zubimendi to Arsenal and Cunha to Old Trafford cost more, and that Sporting CP should demand more for Gyokeres. He said via ManUtd News:
"I can say that Viktor won't leave for €60+10 million. He won't leave, absolutely not. In recent weeks, we've been paying attention can say that Viktor won't leave for €60+10 million. He won't leave, absolutely not. In recent weeks, we've been paying attention."
"I saw a player, Zubimendi, who is six months younger than Viktor, go for €65 million, and I saw Matheus Cunha go to United for around €75 million. I believe that Viktor could leave, unless he has the worst agent in the world, which I don't believe, as he's one of the best in the world."
Viktor Gyokeres has reportedly informed Sporting CP that he wants to leave this summer. The Manchester United target does not want to return to the club for pre-season and is forcing a transfer away.
Rio Ferdinand tells Manchester United target to force transfer
Rio Ferdinand was on talkSPORT earlier this month and pushed Viktor Gyokeres to force a transfer to Manchester United. The Red Devils legend advised that the striker to be on the toes of the Sporting CP president and said via METRO:
"I'll tell you one thing: I would be in his [Varandas'] office, and he wouldn't be able to leave me. I'd be in his bed, I'd be in his front room, his kitchen, he wouldn't be able to get me out of his sight. I'd be causing him a nightmare to get out if we'd had an agreement."
"I did that when I was at Leeds. I heard that Manchester United were interested in me and I knew had to let me go. I went to Peter Ridsdale and said, "Listen, I know you need to sell me, let's not haggle over a couple of million here and there, and let's get a deal done", and I was there for hours waiting and ended up getting it done.'"
Arsenal are also interested in Viktor Gyokeres this summer, but he remains their 'Plan B'. The Gunners still see Benjamin Sesko as their top target for the summer.