Manchester United will make an attempt to sign Viktor Gyokeres this month, rather than waiting until the summer.
The 26-year-old Sporting Lisbon forward could always catch the eye of his former boss, Ruben Amorim, after being appointed as United's new head coach in November. But a transfer for the Swedish star was planned for the summer, not now.
However, those plans have changed. Amorim has told United's power brokers that they must sign Gyokeres now given their problems in the Premier League, says The Star.
Manchester United are fourteenth in the table after losing their last three league games and are short on firepower. But even if they can find the money they need to trigger Gyokeres' £80m-plus release clause, it remains to be seen whether he will be up for the move.
The former Coventry City man has become one of Europe's most sought-after strikers since leaving the Championship and is believed to have several high-profile prospects.
January is a notoriously difficult time to sign players, so it's pretty much a given that Gyokeres will have more choice over his next move in the summer. And with United currently looking highly unlikely to qualify for Europe, Gyokeres could potentially give up European football next season if he opts to leave Sporting in January.
Therefore, his position on leaving Sporting mid-season is currently unclear. Although Sporting have already parted ways with Amorim's successor, Joao Pereira, they are still top of the Portuguese league and on track to progress in the Champions League.
Former Arsenal midfielder Anders Limpar previously referred to the fact that Gyokeres would likely have his choice of clubs if he lasts until the end of the season.
“We must remember that the Portuguese league is inferior to the Premier League, but when Manchester City visited Lisbon he scored a hat-trick, so he is fully capable of scoring in England,” Limpar said in November after meeting him had given a tip. to join Arsenal.
“He has played for Coventry and scored goals, he knows the English mentality. I think his next step is to play in the Premier League and he can really choose which team he wants to play for.”
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