Viktor Gyokeres is one of the most talked about and in-demand strikers in European football, and is available for a cut-price fee.
The Sporting Lisbon frontman continued his blistering start to the season with a hat-trick in their 4-1 Champions League win against Manchester City on Tuesday.
That treble took his goalscoring record to an extraordinary 27 goals in 21 games for Sporting and Sweden this season.
Top clubs across the continent are interested in Gyokeres, who has an £83million release clause but is reportedly available for closer to £63m.
He looks set to be one of the hottest properties in the transfer market next summer if he keeps up his brilliant form. So where might the 26-year-old end up?
Here, Standard Sport assesses his options…
Manchester United
It should become clear early on in Ruben Amorim’s reign at Old Trafford which members of the Manchester United squad he sees as part of his plans and which he wishes to move on.
While Rasmus Hojlund is currently United’s first-choice striker, he has not scored prolifically since his £72million move from Atalanta in 2023. Game time has been limited and goals even harder to come by for summer recruit Joshua Zirkzee.
Gyokeres has thrived under Amorin at Sporting and a reunion between the two at Old Trafford has already been mooted. His big release clause represents a sticking point with regards a potential January move.
Asked whether Gyokeres might follow him to United, Amorim said this week: “Gyokeres is a Sporting player, which is a great club, he did a lot for it, he was in the second division. He just has to stay and finish the season [there].”
In a separate interview, Amorim said: “It was tough for me to leave. If I start joking about that with Gyokeres, I’ll have problems. This is my city, this is my country, I will respect.”
It was United sporting director Dan Ashworth who sanctioned Gyokeres’s sale to Coventry from Brighton when he was the Seagulls’ technical director. Brighton received just £1m for his him, before Coventry sold him for £17m to Sporting in 2023.
Arsenal
In an interview with the Swedish sports newspaper Sportsbladet in September, Gyokeres admitted: “Of course you aim to test other leagues and a higher level, but I have no stress.”
One of the other clubs linked with Gyokeres are Arsenal.
Some feel an elite No9 could be the missing link for the Gunners as they target their first title since 2004. Kai Havertz has done alright leading the line and has scored seven goals in 15 games this season.
But Arsenal legend Ian Wright summarised their striking problems on social media earlier this year, simply posting, “We need a killer”.
Gyokeres has been scouted by Arsenal, who failed to sign a striker last summer and are set to be in the market for a new frontman next summer.
While Arsenal may well feel Gyokeres’ release clause is too steep, Sky Germany have reported that Sporting will allow him to leave next summer and would expect to recoup between £50m and £80m in a transfer fee.
Stay at Sporting
In the short term, Gyokeres is likely to stay put and see out the season with Sporting.
Ten wins and a 100 per cent record so far has made them favourites to win the Portuguese title again, and Tuesday win over City suggested they could go deep in the Champions League.
But Gyokeres may also decide that another season at Sporting next term is also beneficial for his development, or Sporting might not sanction a move.
Other options
Barcelona have also been linked with Gyokeres.
Reports in Spain claim Barca believe they could strike a cut-price deal worth around £50m-£60m by offloading Vitor Roque, currently on loan at Real Betis, in a player-plus-cash deal.
Barca reportedly view Gyokeres as a long-term replacement for 36-year-old Robert Lewandowski.
