Sporting Clube de Portugal star Viktor Gyokeres is the name on everyone's lips ahead of the summer transfer window.
The 25-year-old has been linked with a move to the Premier League despite joining the Portuguese giants last summer. He has enjoyed a remarkable debut campaign in Liga Portugal, registering a combined 51 goals and assists in 43 games.
Arsenal and Chelsea have been the clubs to be credited with an interest, with the Gunners said to have regularly tracked the Sweden international along with central defender Ousmane Diomande.
As a move to the English top-flight could be on the cards for Gyokeres this summer, football.londonhas spoken toRecord journalist David Novo, who shared a fascinating insight into the forward.
For those who aren’t familiar with Gyokeres, what profile of striker is he?
I immediately noticed his physical attributes. He’s extremely strong and fast – his qualities allows him to have an advantage in many duels, whether that’s progressing with the ball or when he’s dropping deep to combine with his teammates.
It is very difficult for other players to stop him one-on-one which makes him a very dangerous player in the moves he creates for himself and the team when they give him space for these actions, especially when he moves from the left to the centre, but also from the right. At the same time, he is also a player who knows how to move around the penalty area.
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What can he improve on?
I wouldn’t say it is much of a weakness but there were times where he insisted on individual play because that is his quality. He is an explosive player and uses his speed to go all out on the opposition. But sometimes his hunger to do it himself impacts his decision making.
What problems does he create for defenders?
Because of his stature, he causes a lot of problems on the pitch. Due to being a very dangerous player, he has become the focus of all opposition.
Does his characteristics suit the Premier League?
Undoubtedly [they fit the Premier League]. Naturally, not all teams play in the same way but he is clearly a player with attributes for the English league.
He’s been linked with a move to Arsenal, Man United and Chelsea – how would he fit at those clubs?
It’s interesting because have the English clubs only noticed Gyokeres because he’s having a sensational season or did they already know him from Coventry City, but didn’t think he was that good? It could be both because clubs can’t buy all the players and because in truth, this season has been remarkable for him.
Out of all the three clubs, I think Chelsea are the ones that would benefit more from this signing, as they need a striker and I believe he would fit in the squad like a glove. But I’ve seen Chelsea are also interested in Osimhen, so Gyokeres’ future may not be at Chelsea.
Do you think he’ll leave Sporting at the end of the season or will the club resist all the interest?
It will be very difficult to keep hold of Gyokeres after the season he’s been having. Not only for the money but for the eternal problem Portuguese clubs have. It’s difficult to compete with clubs from better leagues like the Premier League where everything has another dimension. Gyokeres has already played in England so he knows that better than anyone.
He has a €100m release clause. Boss Ruben Amorim said that no player will leave for less than their clause but there are possibilities for Sporting to negotiate for a lower fee. Does the club need to sell players this summer?
It depends. I believe that Sporting will always have the necessity to sell even if they win the Portuguese title and secure Champions League football. It will depend on the amount they will have to invest next year but there is a way to do so without having to sell Gyokeres. For example, there is interest in other players like Gonçalo Inácio, Ousmane Diomande or Pedro Goncalves.
But then to get the same value [€100m], it may be necessary to sell more players which will require the club to sign more to replace those players. Sporting refers to the release clause as Portuguese clubs usually do but I believe that there is room to negotiate for a lower fee, perhaps a player-exchange deal could be possible.
What have you made of his season so far? Was it expected for a player to have such an impact in the league, given he was playing in the Championship not long ago?
I, like other people, did not know Gyokeres. We can now see why Sporting were determined to get the deal over the line. It’s difficult to find a foreign player who hits the ground running in Portugal straight away and I’m not just talking about his performances. Gyokeres in a season, has become an idol for the Sporting fanbase.
His goal celebration has become viral and everybody, especially the younger kids like to copy him. He is one of the most requested players for photographs and autographs and on social media, he’s by far the favourite among the fans. If he does leave the club, he will be greatly missed by Sporting and Portugal.
