Viktor Gyokeres was asked if Sporting was to blame for the protracted negotiations and the delay in finalising the transfer, or if he or his agent was responsible.
"It depends on your perspective, but I think that as a footballer you always have to try to get to the top, at least in my case. I felt I was ready to take the next step and I think a lot of people at the club were ready for that, even before the end of the season. I didn't feel that this desire was something strange, that it only came about in the summer. So yes, I don't think there was any responsibility on our part," said the Swedish striker.
"It's natural that my agents who work for me want the best for my career. That's where the parties clashed a bit, but I guess that's part of football," added Gyokeres, who also addressed the fact that Hasan Çetinkaya had given up his commission.
"Yes, we all had to sacrifice a little to achieve our goal. It wasn't an easy path, but I think that's what it takes sometimes to get where you want to be," explained the former Sporting goalscorer, before going on to talk about the choice he made in opting for Arsenal.
"I'd been told a while ago that they were interested. It's a club I've always wanted to play for. Then, of course, we spoke within the club and all that, but from day one it seemed a foregone conclusion. All my intuition told me that this was where I should come and that's why I decided," said the Swede, who is now back in England.
"To play in the Premier League and in one of the best teams ever, both in England and the rest of the world. And then to win football matches and titles," said Gyokeres, talking about his objectives at Arsenal, where he will wear the number 14 shirt, the historic number that belonged to Thierry Henry.
"Number 14? It feels good. It's a number with a lot of history at this club. It will be an honour to wear the Arsenal shirt in particular, but also with this number," he said.
