Coventry City transfer news from CoventryLive as Viktor Gyokeres looks to be closing in on a £20m move to Sporting Lisbon

News that Coventry City is close to finally agreeing on a deal to sell Viktor Gyokeres to Sporting Lisbon has prompted fans to heap praise on owner Doug King for standing his ground.

The Sky Blues star striker has been the subject of protracted negotiations for weeks as the Portuguese club has come in with a number of bids that started as low as € 12 million with €3m in add-ons, which is £12.9m – a whopping £7m short of City’s £20m plus valuation for the player.

The two clubs have apparently been locked in discussions this week, with Sporting’s president Frederico Varandas and sporting director Hugo Viana returning to Lisbon after failing to reach a compromise with King following meetings in London along with the player’s agents. But it now looks like progress is being made.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano says Sporting is “finally closer” to landing Gyokeres after “late-night negotiations” on Wednesday. Coventry is said to be holding firm on their £ 20 million valuation of the striker.

Romano posted on Twitter: “Coventry asked for €24m (£20.5m) including add-ons in final meeting, Sporting expected to decide soon. The green light could be on Thursday. Gyökeres, really close now.”

If true, that has gone down extremely well with the Sky Blue faithful.

Craig Woodward: Hopefully this is it now and gets done asap a great deal for us if true. All the best Vik. Time for us to move on.

Martin Warren: That’s a cracking deal if the report is correct and let’s hope the money is reinvested back into the playing squad. Don’t think for a second that MR will get the whole amount but somewhere around £4/£5 million I feel he will get from DK. Fingers crossed.

Toughy: Long story short, by simply standing firm we’ve earned an extra £3-5mil vs what SISU would have got for Vik. Potentially more if SISU had caved in Jan which I imagine they might well have done. More interested to see where it goes though!

Jamie Smith: Be glad when this Gyökeres saga is over and done with. If he’s going get the deal done and move on but needs to make sure they invest some of the money made!

Craigtagz: You know what I’ve moaned a lot recently about this and Doug but the fact he’s managed to get that out of them is fair play.

Matty: Now that is strong negotiating, well done Doug.

PSB Group: Doug King working absolute wonders, for the first time in our lifetime we have an owner that’s stood his ground, not budged to the player, the agent, or the so-called superior club interested until they agree on a deal on OUR terms. Well done Doug King.

Alistair Clarke: Doug King has played an absolute blinder, not pressured stuck to his guns, and finally got his fee like he said he would. Didn’t get bullied by bigger clubs.

Tom Upton: That Vik money is looking unreal for us.

Lewi: If Vik leaves today for the sum we wanted (pretty much) then King has had a blinder. Of course not all of that will be a transfer budget but will be massive for our future, now we back Robins and the recruitment team to build a team, as they’ve done every year.

Ryy: Love to see Doug King not bowing down like Sisu he would have been gone for less than 5m if they were still in charge, time to back Robins in the market.

Buswell: Well, looks like the saga is coming to an end. Thank goodness for that. A brilliant deal for both teams in my opinion.

Neil Jones: Until Coventry City releases a statement saying VIK has gone I will wait. If reports are true DK has played a blinder and say thank you to the best striker I have seen at the club since Robbie Keane. Vik and the club both prospered while together and have helped us grow.

Reuben: £ 20 million has set us up nicely for years now.