Rio Ferdinand does not believe Viktor Gyokeres will adapt to Premier League football despite Manchester United appearing to be prioritising a move for the Sporting CP striker this summer.
Gyokeres, 27, has emerged as one of the standout forwards in European football since arriving in Lisbon in 2023, scoring 97 goals and providing 28 assists in just 102 games for the Lions.
The Swede propelled Sporting to a Liga Portugal title in his first season and then going one better this year with a league and cup double, scoring twice in the 3-1 win over Benfica in the Taca de Portugal final last month.
Gyokeres’ contract with Sporting contains a €100 million release clause but there is a gentleman’s agreement in place which would see the Portuguese club consider offers around the €70 million mark.
However, Sporting president Frederico Varandas is believed to have reneged on this arrangement, instead demanding €80 million for his star player.
This has incensed Gyokeres who informed the club he would not play for Sporting again as he seeks to force an exit this summer.
United have been closely linked with a move for the 27-year-old striker since Ruben Amorim swapped Lisbon for Manchester in November to replace Erik ten Hag.
Amorim, 40, was the Sporting manager who brought Gyokeres to the Portuguese capital from Coventry City two years ago, helping refine the Sweden international into one of the most productive strikers in Europe.
But Amorim has, so far, been unable to replace his success with Sporting at Old Trafford, with the Reds’ misfiring forward line identified as the fundamental weakness of his new side.
Matheus Cunha has already been signed for £62.5 million this month while talks are ongoing over a move for Bryan Mbeumo at a similar price point. Both forwards are expected to play as number tens in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system.
But this still leaves a new number nine as an urgent priority with Amorim believed to be strongly advocating a reunion with his former pupil in Lisbon.
However, Ferdinand believes Gyokeres is “not the guy” as the Swede will struggle to replicate his success in Portugal when placed in the faster-paced and more physical Premier League.
“I’ve watched him three times really closely and three times I’ve gone….(shakes head). You’re not getting that opportunity in the Prem[ier League]. When I see him physically matched, what else is there? Is there enough after he is physically matched to be able to get him a goal?”
Gyokeres’ ability in front of goal in unquestionable. The doubt stems from how often he will be presented with those opportunities when confronted with Premier League defences in comparison to the ones he has faced in Portugal – a much easier division by comparison where the 27-year-old played for one of the best teams.
Gyokeres will not benefit from either advantage at Old Trafford. And it’s this doubt which leads Ferdinand to suggest United should look elsewhere this summer.
Featured image Michael Campanella via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
