Manchester United’s hunt for a new striker has been headline news for months, and it has just taken a couple more twists.
After missing out on Liam Delap, who chose Chelsea over United when he left relegated Ipswich Town, the Red Devils have been closely linked with the likes of Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP.
With time marching on in the transfer window the sagas around both players looked to be reaching conclusions, with neither suggesting a positive outcome for Ruben Amorim’s side.
Osimhen seems set for a permanent move to Galatasaray, where he had a very productive loan spell last season.
Gyokeres, meanwhile, looks to be on his way to Arsenal, although the Portuguese press today is abuzz with updates which could be significant for the Old Trafford club.
Viktor’s rethink
The messaging around Gyokeres’ mindset has been consistent in the past few days that the player only wants a move to Arsenal, and in fact never wanted United.
According to Correio da Manha this remains his “priority”, but with the Gunners not coughing up the cash Sporting are demanding and with pre-season looming the Sweden international is “apprehensive about his future, to the point of beginning to rethink how he will continue his career.”
This rethink, the outlet claims, has opened the door once more to United as the 27-year-old looks for another English team to play for. This is, apparently, “what the British press claims”, although no such stories seem to have broken here so far – perhaps that’s an indication of how seriously we should be taking this rumour.
Nevertheless Correio da Manha make some other interesting claims, including that the striker has “repeatedly rejected” United and feels “resentment” towards Amorim over his mid-season departure from Sporting.
He is reportedly “willing to ignore” this now, and his desire for Champions League football, if it secures him a move to the Premier League.
United still keen?
For their part, United had seemed to come to terms with the fact that they were no longer in the race for the potent goalscorer.
However, Leonino quote journalist Pedro Sousa who is convinced that the Red Devils are still desperate to sign the Swede and would pay in full tomorrow if Sporting would only give them the chance.
Responding to the fact that Arsenal’s reticence to pay the €70m plus €10m Sporting are demanding for Gyokeres is holding up his move to London, Sousa said: “Manchester United would pay €70m plus €10m tomorrow, but I don’t know if he (Sporting president Frederico Varandas) still answers the phone to Ruben Amorim.”
He added that he doesn’t believe United have ever seriously tried to sign Gyokeres as it was never going to be possible for them: “I believe that if Ruben Amorim ever wants to talk about this, he’ll confirm that he didn’t even play because there was no chance.”
While the need for a new centre-forward is painfully clear, despite these morsels in the Portuguese press it would be a huge surprise if Gyokeres ends up at Old Trafford this summer.
Featured image Gualter Fatia via Getty Images
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Joe Ponting
Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.
