Arsenal's long-term negotiations for Viktor Gyokeres have reportedly stalled, allowing Manchester United to test the player's resolve to sign for the Gunners.
Arsenal have long been expected to complete a deal for Viktor Gyokeres and end the clamour from fans to sign a quality No. 9.
However, with negotiations dragging on and Sporting CP digging their heels in over their demands, we seem to have reached an impasse.
That has reportedly encouraged Manchester United to attempt to hijack the deal. The Red Devils have previously been linked with Gyokeres due to him having thrived in Portugal under current United head coach Ruben Amorim.
Could United really gazump the Gunners and strike a deal for the Sweden star? The Sporting News looks at the latest.
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Could Man United sign Viktor Gyokeres?
Reports emerged on July 20 that Manchester United could make a move to sign Gyokeres because of the impasse between Arsenal and Sporting.
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According to A Bola, United have sent a proposal to Sporting to secure a deal for Gyokeres and are "very close to an agreement" with the Portuguese club.
United are said to be prepared to offer a larger sum than Arsenal, who increased their bid this week to €63.5 million (£54m/$69m), plus €10 million (£8m/$11m) in performance-related bonuses.
The Sporting News understands that Arsenal are not worried about the potential for the transfer to collapse while they attempt to iron out the particulars over the way the deal is structured.
Is Arsenal's deal for Viktor Gyokeres off?
There is no suggestion yet that Arsenal's potential deal to sign Gyokeres is dead in the water, even if there are frustrations over the protracted negotiations.
Gyokeres himself is reportedly determined to join the Gunners despite the potential appeal of playing at United under Amorim, his previous head coach at Sporting. The Red Devils are keen to sign a centre-forward despite closing in on a deal for Brentford attacker Bryan Mbeumo.
However, it is possible that the level of United's interest has been exaggerated. Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano said he was "not aware of club to club talks" between United and Sporting.
The striker has made it clear he is not prepared to play for Sporting again after apparently accusing the club's hierarchy of failing to honour a gentleman's agreement to let him leave for a fee of less than his €100m release clause.
Sporting president Frederico Varandas indicated to Portuguese news agency LUSA that Gyokeres would be fined after refusing to attend preseason training as he attempts to force through a transfer.
"We're calm. Everything can be solved with the closure of the market, a hefty fine and an apology to the group," he said. "If [interested clubs] don't want to pay Viktor's fair market value, we'll be very comfortable with [keeping him] for the next three years."
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