Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim and Viktor Gyokeres after the final whistle of the UEFA Champions League, league stage match at the Estadio Jose Alvalade
Ruben Amorim has been advised against making a move to reunite with Viktor Gyokeres
Viktor Gyokeres has given the perfect response to Troy Deeney after the ex-Premier League striker told Manchester United and Arsenal not to pursue the forward.
Despite being a runaway success since joining Sporting CP last year, Gyokeres has failed to convince Deeney he's worth breaking the bank for. Some of Europe's top teams are supposedly in the race to sign the former Brighton and Coventry player, who is reportedly valued at £75million by his current club.
Gyokeres led Sporting to the Primeira Liga crown and was named the division's Player of the Year during his only full season under Ruben Amorim. But ex-Watford talisman Deeney questioned Gyokeres' finishing abilities and suitability for a big Premier League club.
"I genuinely think he's a good footballer, he works really hard, all of that," said Deeney, who notched 47 goals in 165 Premier League outings. "But I don't think he's a natural finisher."
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A return of 69 goals in 74 games for Sporting would suggest that summary is perhaps wide of the mark. With a staggering 109 goals over the past four seasons, Gyokeres has stood out as one of the best finishers in Europe and has grasped his opportunity at his first major club.
And the striker had underlined his long-held obsession with goals, per Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (via The Mirror): "Yes, it seems like it's always been like that since I started playing as a kid. I've always loved the feeling of scoring goals and it's almost become an addiction. You want to feel that feeling again and again every time you step on the pitch and that's something I've always had."
Gyokeres' knack for finding the net first became apparent during his spell at Coventry, where he notched an impressive 40 goals over two full seasons. His nose for goal only intensified under Amorim in Lisbon, putting him in contention for the European Golden Shoe last season.
Gyokeres has been one of Europe's most prolific strikers over the last couple of years
The player has been on fire once again this term, converting 26 goals in just 24 games. Arsenal are in need of such a presence after their decision to pass on a forward signing in the summer, while United are on the lookout for more seasoned talent up front.
Rasmus Hojlund has made a splash at United but is in inconsistent form after netting 23 goals in his first 61 appearances for the club. And the need for a forward recruit will soon spike after Marcus Rashford revealed he's "ready for a new challenge" away from his boyhood club.
Rashford moving on could provide the opening United needs to bring in Gyokeres, potentially freeing up a huge amount of salary space. And a reunion with Amorim and the system that first thrust him into the continental spotlight may appeal.
Gyokeres, who this week beat off the likes of Prem stars Alexander Isak and Dejan Kulusevski to win Swedish Player of the Year, said: "I think it's like the national team, which also fits my style of play very well. Then, it's always a question of hunger for goals. Even when you've already scored a few, you want to keep going, you're not satisfied or think that's enough. Always value the next game and forget what's already happened."
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