Chelsea must cough up £85million if they wish to sign Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres.
That's the defiant message that has been relayed by the Primeira Liga outfit, who simply have zero interest in selling the Swedish goal machine next month. Both Chelsea and Arsenal are believed to have sent scouts to watch Gyokeres in recent weeks following his explosive start to life in Lisbon as the Blues continue their gruelling search for attacking reinforcements.
The ex-Brighton and Swansea City frontman, who is currently battling through knee pain, has hit 16 goals in 19 outings in all competitions this season following his £18.5million summer transfer from Coventry City. Highly-rated Sporting boss Ruben Amorim has made it clear the 25-year-old will only be sold if his eye-watering release clause is triggered this winter.
He said in midweek: "Gyokeres has a release clause, it was said that in January he would only leave under the clause. But it is normal for clubs to pay attention to clubs in Portugal, they know that the players in our championship are prepared for the best leagues in the world."
Coventry are due to receive a payment of around £850,000 once their former player racks up 25 goals for his new club. There are also further performance-related bonuses that could net them additional cash further down the line - providing he stays put.
Gyokeres is not the only striker Chelsea are tracking and Mauricio Pochettino has been dealt another hammer-blow in his quest to land a new forward as top target Victor Osimhen has now agreed a bumper contract extension at Napoli. The Nigerian forward's new deal in Italy will include a mega release clause worth a whopping £112m.
Osimhen has a gentleman's agreement with Napoli that he can leave
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