26-year-old Swedish scoring sensation, Viktor Gyökeres, has taken Liga Portugal by storm in the last 18 months. Since signing up to Ruben Amorim’s project at Sporting in a €24 million deal in the summer of 2023, the Stockholm-born striker hasn’t looked back once.
He shone in a two-year spell with Coventry, scoring 38 goals in 91 appearances for the Sky Blues, but his goalscoring record at Sporting is in another stratosphere. Gyökeres is currently averaging almost a goal per game for Sporting, having bagged 67 goals in 70 appearances.
So far this season, Gyökeres has managed a staggering 16 goals in eleven Liga Portugal appearances. He’s become the go-to pick for in-play first goalscorer bets on Sporting games with an online sportsbook live, due to his ability to physically dominate defences and convert goals out of nothing. The leading live sportsbooks have cottoned onto his prowess and now price him as very short odds to notch first for Sporting.
As Gyökeres’ reputation continues to precede him, he’s been catapulted into the spotlight of some of Europe’s elite-level clubs. With Amorim departing Sporting for the vacant Manchester United hot-seat, speculation is now rife about his long-term future at the club.
Will Amorim’s departure accelerate Gyökeres’ Sporting exit?
After all, Gyökeres was convinced to stay at the club this summer by Amorim. The Swedish international powerhouse was courted by many Premier League clubs and other major Champions League contenders, but the lure of playing under Amorim was too strong in 2024/25. However, Amorim’s exit could hasten his departure at the end of this season.
According to El Nacional via A BOLA, Barcelona are making early moves to entice Gyökeres to the Nou Camp next summer. Deco, who is now the sporting director of the Catalan giants, has reportedly touched base with Gyökeres’ representatives over a switch across the border to play for the La Liga leaders. The same news report states that Gyökeres has a €100 million release clause in his current deal with Sporting, which would enable Barca to secure him earlier in January. However, given Barca’s ongoing financial constraints, it cannot pay anywhere near that figure for his signature.
Deco is adamant that Gyökeres would be the perfect medium-term replacement for Polish striker, Robert Lewandowski, who is entering the twilight years of his career. Deco is considering getting creative with a player-plus-cash exchange deal involving Brazilian ace, Vitor Roque.
Barca forked out €60 million to sign Roque from Athletico Paranaense, but he’s failed to settle at the Nou Camp. Deco believes Sporting would be interested in having Roque, which would enable Barca to pay as little as €40 million in cash for Gyökeres’ services.
Will Premier League clubs be able to entice Gyökeres back to England?
The issue for Barca is that there’s sure to be multiple Premier League suitors sniffing in January and next summer. Arsenal are said to have monitored the Swede for some time, while Amorim may try to convince the Manchester United hierarchy that he’s worth pursuing. Although Amorim has insisted he will not raid Sporting of their players in the January transfer window, they will be fair game next summer, with the likes of Gyökeres, Gonçalo Inácio and Morten Hjulmand all likely to be on Amorim’s shortlist.
Manchester City have also been looking for a genuine rival for Erling Haaland’s starting berth and Gyökeres would feel like an excellent back-up for Pep Guardiola’s system too.
