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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Alex Young

Manchester United: Dimitar Berbatov has £84m solution to 'embarrassing' Ruben Amorim problem

Dimitar Berbatov has predicted incoming Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim will sign Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres to fix his most "embarrassing" problem.

Amorim has agreed to a deal to succeed the sacked Erik ten Hag, and will begin his new role next week after overseeing two more Sporting games. Interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy is taking caretaker charge, and guiding United to a 1-1 draw against Chelsea on Sunday.

Bruno Fernandes scored United's only goal from the penalty spot, which was only the ninth league goal the Reds have scored in 10 games so far this season - and former striker Berbatov says it is the faltering frontline with Amorim must address first.

Gyokeres has been of interest to much of Europe since his move from Coventry to Portugal last summer. He scored 29 goals in 33 league games last season and has started the following campaign with 12 goals in nine games.

"This guy, Viktor Gyokeres, he’s scoring goals for fun right now," Berbatov said on Sky Sports’ 'Monday Night Football'. "So I think there’s a special connection with the coach, so maybe we are probably going to see him in a United shirt at some point."

Asked if Gyokeres is the man to solve United's goal problems, Berbatov added: “From what he’s showing right now, I think yes, because our strikers at the moment are not doing and producing goals like we see with them 18th in the league for scoring goals, which is embarrassing for a club of the stature of United. This is a position that I’d like to see improvement."

Amorim, though, has already appeared to rule out poaching Gyokeres from his former side, telling reporters: "I’m not going to get any players from Sporting in January Gyokeres costs €100million [£84m] and it’s very difficult."

Gyokeres himself has sung the same tune, adding: "I really like being here, [joining Man Utd] not something I think about. I’m enjoying it here. I’m sad about [Amorim] leaving. We wish him all the best."

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