The longer Viktor Gyokeres’ future remains undecided, the more clubs are crystallising an interest in one of Europe’s most potent strikers.
Arsenal and Manchester United have been strongly linked with the Swedish centre-forward and a return to England from Sporting CP has seemed inevitable, even with Gyokeres sending up smoke signals trying to catch the eye of Real Madrid.
Despite the prospect of a reunion with former Sporting head coach Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford, Arsenal have been the favourites to sign the 27-year-old and can wave Champions League football in his face just in case.
But it appears both the club and the player have other irons in the fire. Arsenal’s apparent preference for Benjamin Sesko could leave Gyokeres disappointed, while Joao Pedro is also on the Gunners’ radar.
Amid reports of Arsenal’s interest cooling as a result of Sporting’s demands, Serie A side Juventus have apparently made their play and they’re not messing about.
The Bianconeri’s attacking corps includes Dusan Vlahovic, Arkadiusz Milik, Timothy Weah and Kenan Yildiz but Vlahovic and Yildiz in particular are known to be of interest to other clubs in the summer transfer window.
Gyokeres would be seen as an upgrade in any case and Juventus are reportedly putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to backing head coach Igor Tudor and equipping him with the firepower to get the club back on track.
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Vlahovic’s departure might be a prerequisite. Corriere dello Sport reports that Vlahovic would need to be sold for Juve to be able to afford Gyokeres.
“Juventus has been anticipating the move for weeks, talking to the [player’s] entourage and even with the club, despite denials on the surface,” according to George Marota.
“Obviously, it is a complex deal. It certainly is from an economic point of view: the Bianconeri, after an initial offer, have relaunched by getting closer to the boy’s wishes.”
Chief among Gyokeres’ reported expectations is a colossal £11m per year in wages, the kind of income that could tempt a young man to abandon hopes of a Premier League move and keep him in hair product for a lifetime.
Gyokeres joined Sporting from Coventry City in 2023 after almost firing the Sky Blues back to the top flight of English football.
His scoring record in Portugal has been nothing short of absurd. Gyokeres has scored 68 goals in 66 league appearances for the Lisbon giants and six times in six starts in the Champions League.
In all competitions, he’s scored 97 goals in 102 Sporting appearances. While it’s certainly possible to question how effectively a prolific scorer can apply his abilities in the Premier League or Serie A, these are numbers that cannot be ignored.
If it comes down to a direct choice between Vlahovic and Gyokeres, Juventus would surely see the latter as an £11m-a-year gamble worth taking.
