Arsenal and Manchester United reportedly receive a fillip in their pursuit of Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres, who is granted additional time off before returning to Portugal for pre-season.Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres has reportedly been granted an extended summer holiday as his team try to negotiate a Premier League transfer.The Sweden international is almost certain to leave the Portuguese giants during the current window and is seemingly at the centre of a two-club tussle between Arsenal and Manchester United.Gyokeres was originally thought to have been holding out for a move to the Emirates, but he has now U-turned on his decision and is giving priority to Ruben Amorim’s Man United as the Gunners drag their feet.No agreement has been struck either on the personal or club side, though, and Gyokeres would ordinarily be due to go back to Sporting for pre-season training on July 1.However, the former Brighton & Hove Albion and Coventry City striker allegedly has no intention of playing for the club again, and it was even claimed that he was willing to go on strike to try to force an exit.Gyokeres ‘given extended time off’ amid transfer uncertaintyAccording to The Sun – via the Daily Mail – Sporting have told the 27-year-old that he does not have to come back until July 7, boosting Arsenal and Man United’s chances of striking a deal early next month.Sporting do not have to sell Gyokeres for less than £85.4m thanks to the release clause in his contract – which expires for another three years – but president Frederico Varandas has publicly stated that he will not demand the full value of that option.Varandas’s reasoning is that “no player” leaves the Portuguese top flight for so much money at the age of 27, although he has also vehemently denied rumours of a gentleman’s agreement between the club and his agents.It was originally believed that Gyokeres could depart for under £60m as a gesture of gratitude, but Sporting are now expected to hold out for a sum closer to the £70m mark for a striker who netted 54 goals in 52 matches last term.Arsenal or Man United: Who is most likely to win Gyokeres race?Having allegedly not received as much interest as he initially anticipated, Gyokeres had a change of heart over his decision to initially reject Man United and is now open to reuniting with Amorim at Old Trafford.The Swede could operate at the tip of a fearsome attack with Matheus Cunha and either one of Bruno Fernandes or Bryan Mbeumo, but Man United will likely have to sell before they can buy in this example.In contrast, Arsenal could comfortably strike a deal for Gyokeres now, but the Gunners are still yet to decide whether he or RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is their priority attacking target.The Scandinavian’s yearning to join Arsenal means that he will likely accept a move despite being aware that he was not their first-choice option, but the Gunners have been on the Sesko trail for over a year now and may view their efforts as a waste of time if they throw in the towel now.As a result, if Man United can raise the necessary funds – either by selling players or perhaps putting their Mbeumo plans on ice – Gyokeres may be theirs for the taking.ID:576444:1false2false3false: from db desktop :LenBod:collect5189:
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