The Football Faithful
·11 de noviembre de 2024
The Football Faithful
·11 de noviembre de 2024
Barcelona are the latest side to have joined the running for Viktor Gyokeres, who is expected to leave Sporting Lisbon at the end of the season.
Almost all of Europe’s leading clubs have made enquiries for Gyokeres in recent weeks, following his exploits with the Portuguese champions.
The Swedish striker scored a hat-trick as Sporting thrashed Manchester City 4-1 in the Champions League last week and has 23 goals for the campaign in all competitions.
He has scored 66 times in 67 games since signing for Sporting from Coventry in 2023 and won the Primeira Liga’s Player of the Year award last season after firing the club to title success.
Transfer journalist Ekrem Konur has claimed Barcelona are the latest team to enquire as the Spaniards seek a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski.
The latter turned 36 in August and Gyokeres is seen as a potential successor. Sporting are reportedly prepared to allow Gyokeres to leave for a fee between €60m and €70m (£49.6m and £57.9m) at the end of the season despite his €100m release clause at Estádio José Alvalade.
Bayern Munich have also enquired, while Arsenal have been named among the player’s suitors. The Gunners want to bring in a centre-forward in the upcoming transfer windows and have also been credited as admirers of Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui.
Manchester United is another a potential destination for Gyokeres, following the appointment of Ruben Amorim from Sporting Lisbon as head coach at Old Trafford.
The 39-year-old said he would not return to his former team for signings in January but admitted that could change in the summer.
I won’t be signing [Sporting players] in January, that’s what I said,” he said.
“I don’t know about the summer. The main thing is to hold on until the summer [laughs]. After that, we’ll see, Sporting’s players are very good players. I don’t know. We’ll see.”