It seems inevitable that Manchester United target Viktor Gyokeres will leave Sporting this summer.
The Swedish striker has now scored 42 goals in the same number of games across all competitions this season – those figures easily put him among Europe’s best forwards.
Ruben Amorim kept his promise to Sporting to not sign any of his former club’s players over the January transfer market, with Manchester United instead spending £25m on Patrick Dorgu.
But United have been linked to Viktor Gyokeres and Amorim will surely want to reunite with his former striker given their prolific relationship in Portugal. Viktor Gyokeres scored 66 goals in 68 games under Amorim.
Photo by Pedro Loureiro/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Photo by Pedro Loureiro/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Ineos must change Viktor Gyokeres decision at Man United
Having Amorim boosts United’s chances of landing Gyokeres, but the Red Devils will certainly not be the only team interested in his signature this summer. If Ineos move slowly, United will miss out.
Gyokeres wants European football, so there is even more pressure on United to win the Europa League this season. But even if United do qualify for the Champions League, Ineos may turn away from Gyokeres.
Reports have claimed that Gyokeres clashes with Ineos’ transfer strategy as at 26 years old he is not considered an up-and-coming talent. He would represent a mega-money £63m move rather than a cheaper deal that can be considered a long-term investment.
But Gyokeres has proven in the last few weeks that he is a talent that United simply cannot miss out on – even if Ineos have to bend their rules.
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Gyokeres suffered a slight fitness worry at Sporting last month, but since returning he has been in red-hot form with eight goals and two assists in his last five league outings.
That includes two goals and one assist for Gyokeres in a 3-0 win over Estrela Amadora on Saturday afternoon.
Viktor Gyokeres is an ‘extraordinary’ talent that Man United must not miss
Gyokeres fired Sporting three points clear at the top of Liga Portugal on Saturday, and after the full-time whistle his manager Rui Borges hailed him as “extraordinary”.
As quoted by O Jogo, Borges said: “As I’ve said several times, he’s extraordinary.
“Fortunately, it’s time to enjoy him, to be able to enjoy him every day, not just here, on match day, every day too, because he’s exactly the same in training, he’s exactly the same example. He’s competitive, he’s ambitious and he brings that to the team.”
Before joining United, Amorim said this about Gyokeres: “Viktor has to stay until the end of the season and then his life is going, maybe, somewhere else.
READ MORE: Manager sends ‘fantastic’ Viktor Gyokeres message after being asked about Man United links
So far that has been true – Gyokeres stayed put with Sporting over the January window and now an exit in the summer seems inevitable.
If Gyokeres opens the door to an Amorim reunion at Old Trafford, Ineos must not stand in the way.