Sporting CP`s preparations for the new season have hit an early snag. The club`s first-team squad has traveled to the Algarve for their pre-season training camp, but they`ve done so without their key forward, Viktor Gyokeres.
The Swedish international reportedly failed to meet the revised deadline for his return to the club`s training facilities at the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy. While initially expected back on Friday, he was granted an extension until Saturday. However, this extended window also passed without the player reporting for duty.
His absence meant he did not join his teammates on the bus bound for Lagos on Saturday afternoon, effectively missing the start of the critical pre-season training period.
Sources suggest that this non-appearance is no mere oversight. It`s being interpreted in some quarters as a deliberate action, perhaps even a form of “strike,” fueled by dissatisfaction over his current situation. This discontent is reportedly linked to ongoing, and currently stalled, transfer negotiations, particularly concerning a potential move to Arsenal in the English Premier League.
Given the circumstances, Sporting CP is expected to take disciplinary action against the player, likely involving a fine. The club is also anticipated to issue a public statement soon to address the situation, which has quickly become the focal point of their pre-season narrative.
For a club aiming to build momentum ahead of a new campaign, the absence of a player as pivotal as Gyokeres sends a clear, albeit unwelcome, message just as the hard work is supposed to begin. It seems the transfer market`s disruptive influence has arrived early in Lisbon.
