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.

The Sweden international is one of Europe’s hottest properties this summer following a spectacular season in which he scored 54 goals.

That, however, has now been publicly disregarded by Sporting chief Varandas, which has reportedly left Gyokeres feeling ‘furious’ that a promise to him made at the beginning of the season has been broken.