Liverpool could hand Arsenal major transfer boost as agent of Mikel Arteta's top target speaks out

According to the agent of Arsenal's top transfer target, Liverpool could inadvertently hand Arsenal a major boost this summer.

Liverpool and Arsenal are currently neck-and-neck in the Premier League title race, tied at the top of the table on 71 points with just seven games left to play.

The rivalry between the two clubs will look a little different next season though, as Mike Arteta will face a different manager next time he takes his side to Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp will leave Liverpool at the end of the season after nine years in charge, with Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim set to replace him.

With Sporting set to pip Benfica to the Primeira title, the Portuguese coach will leave the club having led them to two league titles in four seasons, as many as they won in the previous 20 campaigns.

Amorim seems a good fit for Liverpool; Sporting have won 152 of the 215 games he has been in charge for, scoring 456 goals in the process.

If he does depart for Anfield, then he could help Arsenal secure their number one transfer target.

The Gunners are keen on Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres, one of the breakout stars in European football this season.

The 25-year-old Swedish attacker joined Sporting in a surprise £20 million move from Coventry City last summer, and has scored 36 goals in 42 games in all competitions for the Portuguese giants.

Viktor Gyokeres celebrates scoring a goal for Sporting CP. Image: Getty

Now the player's agent, Hasan Cetinkaya, has claimed it will be difficult for Sporting to keep hold of Gyokeres if Amorim leaves.

"If Ruben Amorim leaves at the end of the season, it will be very difficult for Viktor to stay at Sporting," Cetinkaya told

Portuguese newspaper Record.

"Amorim was the only reason he came — there were eight better proposals but I brought him here because Amorim is another level of a coach.

"There were eight Premier League clubs who made concrete proposals to Coventry and me, which guaranteed more money, more commissions and a higher transfer value than Sporting.

"I said no to everyone and told Viktor that Sporting was our next destination."

Liverpool will be hoping to start an era of dominance by hiring Amorim, but they could also end up helping Arsenal too.

Topics: Arsenal, Liverpool, Premier League, Jurgen Klopp, Football, Sporting CP

Alex Brotherton

Alex Brotherton is a Sports Trends Writer at SPORTbible. He has previously worked with publications including the Manchester Evening News, GOAL and BBC Sport. He is a football fanatic, but also dabbles in tennis and American football. He enjoys running, cooking and watching non-league football.

@alex_brotherton