Viktor Gyokeres' agent claims 'deal agreed' with Man Utd as he reveals 'crazy' offers

Manchester United secured a deal with Sporting Lisbon for Viktor Gyokeres this summer, but it appears the star striker's team were left in the dark. The Swedish forward's representatives allege they were kept out of the negotiations as the Red Devils proposed a transfer fee exceeding what Arsenalultimately agreed.

Despite the conflict with his former club, Gyokeres eventually made his way to the Emirates in a £63.7million deal. The 27-year-old went on strikebefore the Gunners could finalise an agreement with the Portuguese side, however.

Arsenal's No. 14 was widely anticipated to depart from Lisbon following two incredibly successful seasons in Portugal and he didn't show up for pre-season training, trying to expedite an exit that his representatives believed was already settled.

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After moving on from Benjamin Sesko due to the RB Leipzig striker's wage demands, the north London club made Gyokeres their primary target.

Sesko ended up signing for United as the Red Devils shelled out £74mfor the Slovenian international. However, Jonathan Chalkias, an assistant to Gyokeres' agent Hasan Cetinkaya, has hinted that Sporting were attempting to steer his client in that direction.

Chalkias revealed that a switch to Arsenal offered Gyokeres more than the extravagant figures put forward by Saudi Arabian clubs, and that the transfer held greater appeal than linking up again with Ruben Amorim. "There were crazy amounts offered from Saudi Arabia. We're supposed to act in our best interest," Chalkias told the Studio Allsvenskan podcast via the Daily Mail.

"Do we have also have a percentage (of any fee)? Of course. It's a lot of money. Maybe Viktor should respond to that some day.

"I don't think we pressured him once to accept the offer. At the end of the day, money comes and goes and this move to Arsenal brings us a lot of marketing.

"They (Sporting) had concluded a deal with Manchester United behind our backs, that was a problem. United offered a higher transfer fee."

Chalkias also responded to Sporting chief Frederico Varandas' condemnation of Gyokeres. The executive issued a scathing statement declaring he would not be blackmailed when Gyokeres downed tools.

There was disagreement over what had been settled regarding Gyokeres' departure and the striker's representatives felt the club reneged on their promise after Hugo Viana's exit for Manchester City.

"If (Hugo) Viana were still at Sporting, the deal would have been done within an hour. Everything was written but we didn't have time to start a legal battle," Chalkias revealed. "I don't understand how a player who scored so many goals and won three trophies didn't deserve more respect. The industry is about trusting people. The sacrifices we made were probably the turning point in getting the deal done.

"They offered him to Real Madrid, made headlines with Madrid and even United, but from day one there was a commitment to Arsenal."