It was at that point that the entire saga took a turn. Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas accused Gyökeres’s agent of “blackmail” and rejected the existence of an agreement which would see the striker sold for well below his €100 million (£85.1 million, $115.4 million) release clause.

Manchester United have eyed up both Victor Osimhen and Viktor Gyokeres this summer with the Sporting Lisbon star now rejecting the chance to move to Old Trafford

Speculation of a move to Saudi Arabia is mounting. Amorim and United surely now have to intercept this potential waste of a transfer and bring the man Jose Mourinho once described as “world class” to Old Trafford.