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Sporting Lisbon head coach Rui Borges has insisted that star striker Viktor Gyokeres is “very happy” at the club and will remain fully committed if he stays beyond the summer, despite mounting interest from top Premier League sides including Arsenal.
Gyokeres has enjoyed a sensational season in Portugal, scoring an astonishing 39 goals in 33 league appearances to help Sporting retain the Primeira Liga title. The 26-year-old is expected to lead the line once more this afternoon as Sporting face arch-rivals Benfica in the Portuguese Cup final – a match that could mark his final appearance for the club.
Arsenal are understood to be pushing hardest for Gyokeres’ signature, with reports claiming the Gunners are preparing a lucrative contract offer to bring the Sweden international to the Emirates. Manchester United and Chelsea have also shown strong interest as both clubs look to bolster their attacking options.
However, Borges remains hopeful that Gyokeres will stay put, praising the striker’s dedication and mentality.
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“He is very happy here,” Borges told reporters on Saturday. “He is very connected to the game, he wants to score and he is obsessed with it. He is very focused on the final – he knows he had a great season.”
Viktor Gyokeres won the Taça de Portugal with Sporting on Sunday (Image credit: Getty Images)Borges went as far as to label Gyokeres the best striker in Europe based on current form, underlining his value to Sporting.
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“He is the best striker in Europe, as the numbers show,” he added. “He will be attractive [to other clubs], but I believe that if he doesn’t leave Sporting, he will remain very committed to the club. He feels very happy here.”
Sporting are eager to keep the core of their title-winning squad intact for next season, though Borges admitted that the club may not be able to prevent some departures due to release clauses.
“I’m sure that a large part of the group will stay,” he said. “That has been the club’s policy in recent years and the achievements show it. It’s difficult to guarantee because there are clauses and things that we can’t control, but I believe that, if not all, a large part of the squad will stay for next season.”
Gyokeres is said to be available for a fee of around £60 million. The forward signed for Sporting from Coventry City in 2023 for just £16.7 million and is under contract until 2028.
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