The agent of striker Viktor Gyokeres has admitted that his client's future at Sporting Lisbon will depend on whether Liverpool-linked head coach Ruben Amorim stays at the club.
Amorim has been heavily linked with a summer switch to Anfield to succeed Jurgen Klopp, who will be stepping down from his post at the Merseyside club at the end of the season.
Recent reports have suggested that Amorim has verbally agreed a three-year contract to join Liverpool, but it is now understood that both parties are yet to strike a deal.
The 39-year-old has spent the last three-and-a-half years as Sporting boss and is currently focused on steering the club to Primeira Liga glory, with his side currently sitting four points clear at the top of the table.
Amorim strengthened his squad with the addition of Sweden international Gyokeres from Coventry City last summer, and he has since established himself as one of Europe's most prolific strikers having recorded 36 goals and 15 assists in 42 games during his debut campaign at Sporting.
© Reuters
Gyokeres future depends on Amorim
Gyokeres's exceptional form has unsurprisingly caught the eye of a number of top European clubs, with both Arsenal and Chelsea believed to be at the front of the queue for his signature.
Sporting are under no immediate pressure to cash in on Gyokeres, who is believed to be valued between £68.5m and £85.8m, and still has over four years remaining on his contract with the Portuguese giants.
However, the 25-year-old's agent Hasan Cetinkaya has admitted that it will be 'difficult' for his client to stay at Sporting if Amorim were to seek pastures new this summer.
Cetinkaya has revealed that he recently arrived in Portugal to hold talks with Gyokeres about his future, telling Portuguese news outlet A Bola: "I came to Lisbon to watch the game between Sporting and Benfica, in the Championship, which is important, and I also came to meet with Viktor and Sporting.
"I met with Hugo Viana (Sporting's director of football), we had dinner, we had a beautiful meeting, we have had a good relationship since the moment Viktor was hired.
"People probably don't know, but there were eight clubs very interested in Viktor last summer. Everyone paid Coventry more than Sporting, everyone paid Viktor more, everyone paid a higher commission to the agent.
© Reuters
"What happened? I brought him to Sporting. And I brought him to Sporting because of Ruben Amorim, because I know his work and his work with the players. I chose Ruben because he is a coach at another level."
Cetinkaya added: "I'm not surprised that Ruben is being linked to Liverpool, it's normal, his work is of a high level, it's what the clubs are looking for, and yes, it will be more difficult for Viktor to stay if Ruben Amorim leaves Sporting.
"Viktor came precisely because of Ruben. The day we met, he said to Ruben: 'here's my boy, he came to Sporting because of you'".
Cetinkaya has acknowledged that a potential exit must suit all parties, though, including Sporting, adding: "Obviously, I will have to talk to the president, the president is the boss, he is the one who makes the decisions, we will have to know what he thinks for the future and what Sporting's project is.
"Viktor also has a say, obviously, and if Ruben Amorim leaves it will be more difficult to continue. But, for now, it's important to think about what's missing from the championship and helping Sporting become champions."
Gyokeres is expected to play for Sporting when they travel to Gil Vicente for a Primeira Liga encounter on Friday night.
Oliver Thomas
