Manchester United have had “more contacts” with Sporting Lisbon and Viktor Gyokeres over the past week to discuss a deal for the striker, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
It was widely assumed that the club’s chances of landing the Swedish international had gone after they missed out on Champions League football.
However, Arsenal’s decision to pursue RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko instead has essentially opened the door for other teams to sign Gyokeres.
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Writing in his column for GiveMeSport, Romano said that United are very much in the mix, along with several Italian clubs.
Sales will determine whether United can afford the forward
Spending £62.5m on Matheus Cunha and, potentially, another £60m on Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, means there is not a lot of money left in the transfer budget for someone like Gyokeres.
Sporting are reportedly holding out for €65m (£55m) to offload the 27-year-old, who scored 54 goals in all competitions last season.
Romano claims that it is “absolutely crucial” that United are able to sell the likes of Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford so they can afford to table a substantial bid for Gyokeres.
Are alternatives to Gyokeres being looked at?
The Swede is undoubtedly the top target, with head coach Ruben Amorim said to be keen on reuniting with his former player.
However, Director of Football Jason Wilcox is keeping tabs on several other strikers. Reports in Italy at the weekend named Fiorentina’s Moise Kean as a potential option. The Italian international scored 25 times in all competitions last campaign.
Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta has been mentioned as another alternative. The Frenchman is the same age as Gyokeres, has Premier League experience and will be available for a relatively low price due to the fact that he has just a year left on his contract.
In other news, fans have been discussing Manchester United’s interest in a Champions League winning goalkeeper