Manchester City are no strangers to being involved in transfer deals during summer transfer windows.
One figure who will be involved in this particular field at the Etihad Stadium next summer is Hugo Viana.
This comes after it was reported that City had agreed a deal to see Viana replace Txiki Begriristain as the Manchester club’s sporting director.
Earlier this week, it was claimed by journalist Florian Plettenberg that Viana is pushing to sign Viktor Gyokeres for City in the summer from Sporting CP – which just happens to be Viana’s current club – and beat Manchester United in doing so.
Following that, a transfer expert has shed some light on what the current stance is regarding the clubs and big names involved in this particular transfer saga.
(L-R) Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting CP, Manuel Akanji of Manchester City during the UEFA Champions League match between Sporting CP v Manchester Ci...
Photo by Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images
Transfer expert confirms Man City’s Viktor Gyokeres stance
Speaking exclusively to Manchester City News, GRV Media’s transfer expert, Graeme Bailey, didn’t mince his words when sharing his thoughts on this latest update made about Viana and Gyokeres.
MORE MAN CITY STORIES
He said: “In every way, shape or form, that’s been denied. City, Viana and Sporting all are quite angry by those reports.
“Hugo Viana is not doing any work whatsoever for Manchester City as we speak. He has not spoken to Viktor Gyokeres about City. Absolutely no chance. They’re not unprofessional enough to do that. In no way, shape or form has that taken place.
“Gyokeres is not thinking about moving in January, it’s not on his radar. For me, the only way City go for someone like him is if [Erling] Haaland goes, and I don’t believe he goes in 2025.
“If Barca come in, I think it’s more 2026. We think Haaland’s going to sign his new deal. Will Gyokeres come and play second-string to Haaland? Very unlikely to me. He obviously could play out wide, but that’s not the sort of player City would look to play out wide.
“I know City know of him, but that’s as far as it’s gone.
“Sporting, City and Viana have confirmed that they are absolutely denying those reports of any information, any talks through the player and City, that is completely wide of the mark and the clubs are not particularly happy about that, it would be so unprofessional of Viana to even think about doing that.
“Hugo Viana is not like that and City don’t operate like that.
“Why would they need to talk to him now? He’s not moving in January, so why would you do it now? From all parties that’s gone down like a lead balloon. Even the Manchester United side is not accurate.”
City have other priorities for January
Julian Alvarez’s summer move to Atletico Madrid and Liam Delap’s transfer to Ipswich Town has since left Pep Guardiola with Haaland as the only predominant striker in his squad.
So while a mid-season move for a striker such as Gyokeres could be an option for the Blues, they have other priorities for the January window if they choose to enter the market.
For instance, the fact that they lost Rodri to a season-ending injury back in September and have now lost six of their past seven matches across all competitions suggests that a replacement defensive-midfielder or more defenders could be required for the Citizens.
However, with Bailey now rubbishing any talk of Viana working behind the scenes to secure a deal for Gyokeres, this sounds like something the City supporters shouldn’t be holding their breath about.
Related Posts