Sporting fine Gyökeres €350k amid Arsenal transfer standoff

Sporting CP have imposed a €350,000 fine on striker Viktor Gyökeres after he refused to attend pre-season training in an attempt to force a move to Arsenal.

The Swedish international, who scored 43 goals last season, missed 13 days of sessions and drew further criticism after posting a holiday photo from Mallorca while expected to report for duty.

Club president Frederico Varandas insisted no prior agreement existed to facilitate a transfer, despite Gyökeres’s claims.

Arsenal agreed to a deal worth €63.5 million upfront, with €10 million in add-ons, ending the protracted negotiations.

Gyökeres’s strike action led Sporting to withhold his entire July salary, though the forward offset some losses by collecting performance-related bonuses, including €500,000 for contributing over 50 goals and assists in the 2024/2025 campaign.

The dispute delayed his integration into Mikel Arteta’s squad, though Arsenal remain confident of completing the transfer imminently.

Gyökeres is set to inherit Arsenal’s iconic No. 14 shirt, previously worn by Thierry Henry, and will sign a long-term contract with a significant wage increase.

Despite his absence from pre-season preparations, the 26-year-old is expected to join the Gunners’ tour in Singapore once final paperwork is completed. His fitness levels may require assessment after the prolonged hiatus from training.

Sporting’s hardline stance shows their reluctance to lose a key player, though the financial windfall from the transfer softens the blow.

The Portuguese champions had previously rejected lower offers from Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain before Arsenal met their valuation.

If Gyökeres’s departure leaves a major gap in their attack, with the club reportedly targeting Feyenoord’s Santiago Giménez as a replacement.