Man Utd in ‘concrete talks’ over Gyokeres transfer as rivals ‘push hard’ to hijack move

Manchester United have opened talks with Ruben Amorim’s former club Sporting over the signing of Viktor Gyokeres, according to reports.

The Swedish interntional has been on fire for Sporting this year, scoring a silly 49 goals across all competitions, including a hat-trick against Manchester City in the Champions League.

Amorim’s move from Sporting to Man Utd means several players from his former club are being linked with a transfer to Old Trafford.

The majority of stories have included teenage winger Geovany Quenda and Gyokeres, though centre-back Goncalo Inacio has also been linked.

Gyokeres has experience playing in England but not in the Premier League having represented Championship side Coventry City between January 2021 and July 2023, spending the first six months on loan from Brighton.

The Seagulls never gave the 26-year-old a Premier League appearance after signing him from Swedish outfit Brommapojkarna for €1million in 2018.

They sold him to Coventry for a tiny profit and the Championship side sold him to Sporting for €24m two years after he joined permanently.

Gyokeres now has a €100m (£82.9m) release clause in his Sporting contract and the Portuguese side are unlikely to sell him for anything less.

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Man Utd are not the only clubs being linked with a move for the Sporting goal machine, with Arsenal and Manchester City also reportedly interested.

The Gunners lack an out-and-out No. 9 but Kai Havertz has performed well up top this season, while City need more depth following the summer sale of Julian Alvarez.

Man Utd, Man City ready to battle for Viktor Gyokeres signing

According to German transfer expert Florian Plettenberg, Man Utd have opened talks with Sporting over the summer signing of Gyokeres, but their Manchester rivals are ‘pushing hard’ to sign the Swede.

Competition from the Premier League champions could be a massive blow for the Red Devils but they might be boosted by Erling Haaland’s existence as it will be very difficult for Gyokeres to displace the Nordic robot.

Regardless, it is claimed that incoming Citizens sporting director Hugo Viana – who is leaving Sporting at the end of 2024/25 – is very keen on signing Gyokeres and the club have ‘intensified their efforts’ in recent days.

Man Utd will hope to beat their arch-rivals to the player’s signature and ‘have now made initial concrete talks’ over the signing, Plettenberg says.

The journalist wrote on X: Manchester United have now made initial concrete talks regarding Viktor Gyokeres and a potential move in the summer. The Red Devils are now fully involved.

‘However, this will require sales first! Manchester City have also intensified their efforts in recent days. Hugo Viana is currently pushing hard in the pursuit of Gyokeres.’

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