Manchester United are ‘ready to make their move’ for Viktor Gyokeres and will offer Sporting cash plus a player in return for their star striker.
Ruben Amorim’s appointment as the new Manchester United boss has inevitably led to widespread rumours of a move the Sweden international, who’s scored 66 goals in 68 games for Sporting since his move from Coventry City in the summer of 2022.
That incredible form has led to significant interest from across Europe in Gyokeres, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Real Madrid and PSG all keeping tabs, according to the Daily Briefing, but it’s Manchester United who are getting their ducks in a row ahead of a move.
Amorim was asked about a move for Gyokeres after agreeing a contract with Manchester United.
“I can’t make fun of it, right now, it was hard for me to leave, if I start joking about this Gyokeres situation I’ll get in trouble,” Amorim said on TNT Sports. “This is my city, this is my country, so I’ll respect it.
“Viktor has to stay until the end of the season, and then his life maybe is going somewhere else.”
Sporting appear to be willing to sell the prized asset, and have reportedly dropped their asking price for Gyokeres to £63m to encourage bidders in the summer.
United are very wary of FFP sanctions though having had to pay compensation both to Erik ten Hag and his team, and Sporting, as a result of their managerial change.
In a bid to reduce the price for Gyokeres further, the Daily Briefing claims Joshua Zirkzee’s ‘future could already be in doubt, with a move to Sporting looking like a serious option’.
Zirkzee has also been linked with a return to Serie A despite only moving to Old Trafford in the summer, with reports in Italy claiming Amorim has already decided that the Netherlands international is ‘not adequate’.
MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365
👉 16 Conclusions on the F365 Tables: Brighton for the Champions League as Postecoglou has it easy
👉 Man Utd: Ruben Amorim deemed ‘best in the world’ as ex-Real Madrid star lauds INEOS decision
👉 Man Utd: Euro giants ‘offer’ shock cash-plus-player deal with INEOS ‘open’ to accepting £50m bid
Gyokeres would be the first choice among the majority of Manchester United fans, but Louis Saha reckons the “pressure” would be too much for him at Old Trafford.
“It might be surprising, but I don’t think Man Utd should go after Viktor Gyokeres,” Saha said.
“I think he is a good player in an incredible run of form, even in the Champions League, but he won’t get the same luxuries as he does at Sporting.
“Sporting are not under the same pressure as Manchester United, it’s a completely different animal. Right now United have Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee and at times the pressure has looked to be a lot for them to handle too.”
Instead, Saha has called for Man Utd to “spend £120m on Harry Kane” amid reports suggesting they have already made a record ‘offer’ to sign the England international, who could replace two ‘resounding failures’.
Saha added: “It’s hard to find players who can do what Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland can do, United need to find players that can really hurt the opposition and are proven in doing so and that’s a big task.
“United have spent a lot of money and I don’t think Gyokeres is the answer, if you can spend £120 million on Harry Kane then they should do it tomorrow, there are very few guarantees in football but that’s what a club like United needs.”
