Manchester United have plenty of attacking options at present but are perhaps lacking a prolific forward who can make them title contenders. Manchester City's Erling Haaland has proven why a Golden Boot-winning striker is vital for any club with title ambitions.
Step up Viktor Gyokeres who is wreaking havoc in the Primera Liga in Portugal with Sporting CP. The Swedish frontman has bagged 11 goals in eight games, including a brilliant brace in a 3-0 win against AVS Futebol SAD on Sunday (September 22).
Gyokeres is on the radar of several European heavyweights but United aren't getting a mention. There are positives and negatives regarding swooping for the in-form forward that we will delve into.
Who is Sporting CP's goalscoring machine Viktor Gyokeres?
Viktor Gyokeres | |
|---|---|
Age | 26 |
Clubs | Sporting CP, Coventry City, Swansea, St Pauli, Brighton, Brommapojkarna |
Sporting CP appearances | 58 |
Sporting CP goals | 54 |
Sporting CP assists | 18 |
Country | Sweden |
International appearances | 22 |
International goals | 10 |
Potential fee | €100million (£86m) release clause |
You just need to look at those goalscoring numbers to understand how potent in front of goal Gyokeres is. The Swede climbed the ranks of English football but failed to establish himself at Brighton before permanently leaving for Coventry in July 2021.
Gyokeres' form for the Championship outfit drew Sporting CP's interest and the Liga Portugal giants signed him for a reported €20 million (plus €4 million in bonuses) in July 2023. He more than made a name for himself in his debut season at the Jose Alvalade Stadium, posting an astounding 43 goals and 15 assists in 50 games across competitions.
The Stockholm-born striker has carried that form into this season and has also become Sweden's main attacking outlet. His numbers in the 2023-24 campaign bettered that of Haaland who managed 38 goals and five assists in 45 games.
Manchester United's current striker options
Manchester United delved into the transfer market in the summer and signed a new forward in Joshua Zirkzee. The 23-year-old Dutchman arrived from Bologna but he isn't the goalscoring frontman that a player of Gyokeres' ilk is. He helps bring others into play while also boasting an eye for goal, he's a nice option to play either up top or as a second striker.
Rasmus Hojlund is the man the Reds are pinning their hopes on becoming the club's talismanic forward. The 21-year-old Dane joined from Atalanta in August 2023 for €73.9 million and hit 16 goals and two assists in his debut season at Old Trafford.
Marcus Rashford is another option to lead the line but this isn't the English attacker's preferred position. He prefers to play off the left and cut inside to do damage but excelled mixing the roles in the 2022-23 season with 30 goals and 11 assists in 56 games.
Why Gyokeres should be signed
Gyokeres' proven goalscoring resume makes him one of Europe's hottest commodities and a striker who will improve any team. His pace, power and end product are extremely impressive, and if Manchester United want to re-establish themselves as title contenders, this is the type of signing that should be made.
Haaland has transformed an already formidable City side into continental treble winners. This guy is the closest thing to the Norweigan that is on offer. We also risk missing out on him to rivals such as Arsenal and Chelsea, who have both been heavily linked.
Why Gyokeres shouldn't be signed
The problem with signing a new centre-forward such as Gyokeres is this could harm the development of our current strikers. Hojlund is still adjusting to life at Old Trafford and will be raring to go after recieving the No.9 shirt. Zirkzee will also help the Dane with sharing the goalscoring burden and 16-year-old Chido Obi arrived in the summer and is expected to get first team opportunities.
Red Devil Armada Verdict
Gyokeres is a potential market opportunity that INEOS should more than throw their weight at. The Red Devils teams of the past that were title winners had a squad brimming with forward talent such as the 2008 Champions League winning squad that had Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Carlos Tevez at the iconic Sir Alex Ferguson's disposal.
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