With Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Armin Pecsi and Giorgi Mamardashvili already wrapped up, as well as Milos Kerkez, who is seemingly imminent, Liverpool has two other obvious areas in which to target reinforcements this summer.
With Jarell Quansah edging closer to a move to Bayer Leverkusen, that would make a center-back a clear necessity. Going into the new campaign with three central defenders, one of whom is Joe Gomez, who has a patchy injury history, would be a major risk.
And signing a new number nine could be on the agenda as well, though there are few names on the table at this point beyond Alexander Isak — a dream, but likely unrealistic, target, given how desperate Newcastle United is to keep him.
In Sporting CP forward Viktor Gyokeres, though, there is surely a striker worth looking at for someone in the Premier League this summer. Though he did so in an inferior league in Portugal, the Swede plundered 54 goals last season in all competitions.
Gyokeres netted those goals in addition to also laying on another 13 for his teammates. He notched 39 goals in 33 league appearances in the Portuguese top flight — Darwin Nunez, for comparison, got 26 in 28 the season before Liverpool signed him.
It would be unrealistic to think that Gyokeres would score as many goals in England as he has in Portugal, but he can clearly finish. And having just turned 27, he needs a move this summer as he enters what should be his peak years.
Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting
Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting (Image: Photo by Pedro Loureiro/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Sporting CP president, Frederico Varandas, has publicly disputed reports that there was a gentleman's agreement in place that would allow Gyokeres to leave for below his release clause.
Linked with Manchester United and Arsenal, the former Brighton talent's agent believed that he would be let go for a package worth an initial $70 million (£51 million) and another $10 million (£9 million) in add-ons.
But Sporting has insisted that isn't the case, and with pre-season looming, Gyokeres' agent has supposedly — according to Record — informed them that his client won't be returning, and that it should negotiate an exit.
In cases such as these, the player usually gets his wish. Sporting keeping an unhappy striker and turning down what would still be a big pay day seems unlikely.
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And given there are no obvious strikers on the market for Liverpool beyond Isak and Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez, who are seemingly unlikely to be available, he could be worth a look.
Gyokeres has quality, and with the likes of Wirtz and Mohamed Salah teeing him up, it seems unlikely that he wouldn't be able to capitalize at the top end of the Liverpool attack.
If Arne Slot was to lose Nunez then another body would likely be required in his forward line. In the absence of glaring options who are readily available, Gyokeres might not be perfect, but he should be considered.