Barcelona have categorically ruled themselves out of a move for Sporting striker Victor Gyokeres.
Gyokeres, 26, has once again hit the ground running for Portuguese champions Sporting this season having netted 23 goals in just 18 appearances already. Having attracted interest from all around Europe, his future remains one of football's most talked about topics.
Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea all remain interested in the Sweden international but according to the latest news, the former Coventry City man will not be embarking on a new chapter in Spain.
Barcelona president Deco says there are no plans for Victor Gyokeres to move to Spain
"Gyokeres is a good player," Barcelona's sporting director Deco said recently via Mundo Deportivo. Deco, ranked at No.46 in FourFourTwo's list of the greatest Barcelona players of all time, continued: "he has been scoring goals for some time in Portugal. We know him as we know others but it's not a priority for us right now.
"When the time comes to make a decision and I have to make it because I am the one at the club, we will consider the options. But I don't think it's the right time to talk about any player."
Gyokeres is likely to move elsewhere in the summer, with the demand for a goalscorer bigger than ever in world football.
Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe remain two of the best up-and-comers but finding the next best thing remains a hard task across Europe.
A move to Manchester United is also not out of the question just yet, especially given that Gyokeres' former manager, Ruben Amorim, has just sealed a move to Old Trafford.
"I enjoy myself very much in Sporting and can't complain about anything, so it's absolutely no problem for me to stay," Gyokeres told Sport Bladet in September. "Of course, you aim to test other leagues and a higher level, but I have no stress."
Gyokeres is reported to have an estimated release clause of €100million (£83.7million) but rumours have suggested that fee could be a lot less due to a gentlemen's agreement he has with Sporting over a summer move.
The talented 26-year-old would be a huge coup for any team and FourFourTwo believes he will likely leave Sporting in 2025, but where he goes remains the huge question.
Manchester United have already spent big on Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee in recent years, so is there enough wiggle room for a deal to be done? I guess only time will tell...
