Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres has been dragged into a high-profile legal case in Sweden.
His representative, Hasan Cetinkaya, launched a defamation suit into two Swedish publications, Fotboll Sthlm and Expressen, over allegations both he and and his agency, HCM Sports Management, had ties to criminal gangs.
Last month, it was reported that police were investigating why gun shots were fired at the home of a relative of one of Gyokeres’ agents in Huddinge, near Stockholm.
There are suspicions that the incident was connected to Gyokeres’ transfer after the relative allegedly bragged about receiving a slice of the fee.
Police in Sweden have previously expressed concern that organised criminals may target individuals working in professional football in order to extort them.
It has now emerged that Gyokeres has been called on as a witness in the defamation case and will testify about a childhood friend in Stockholm District Court in 2026.
Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres will act as a witness in a defamation case in Sweden
Gyokeres’ agent sued two publications for reporting that he and his sports management agency had links to organised crime. The case will take place next February (file photo)
Gyokeres will be questioned about specific circumstances, court documents showed
Cetinkaya’s lawyer, Joakim Lundqvist, has confirmed that the striker will be questioned about specific circumstances in the evidence.
The investigation into Cetinkaya, Sweden’s largest football agent, and his company was published by Expressen and Fotboll Sthlm last year, claiming that men with links to organised crime were involved in recruiting new talents to HCM.
Cetinkaya dismissed the allegations and sued Expressen and its editor-in-chief for defamation, saying: ‘I have grown organically, reaching levels no Swedish agent has ever reached, without any influence or support from criminals.’
Gyokeres will testify that he is a childhood friend of an individual at the centre of the controversy, and that the person has no personal or professional connection to either Cetinkaya or HCM Sports Management.
Speaking to SVT Sport, Lundqvist said: ‘He has been called as a witness in the case regarding the circumstances described in the evidence.’
The trial is scheduled to take place between February 4-11 next year.
During that period, Arsenal will play two matches in the Premier League, against Sunderland at home and Brentford away. It is not known whether Gyokeres’ availability will be affected by his participation in the case.
Gyokeres is not suspected of any crime.
Speaking after Sweden’s 2-2 draw with Slovenia in last night’s World Cup qualifier, he declined to make a comment.
