Who is Viktor Gyokeres? The Sporting CP superstar wanted by Chelsea and Arsenal

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 18 Dec 2023 18:00 GMT
• 4 min read

Viktor Gyokeres has taken a little while to make his way onto the radar of Europe’s biggest clubs, but the Sweden international has certainly done that now after an electric start to life at Sporting CP.

Brighton & Hove Albion have got very few things wrong in the transfer market in recent years, but selling Gyokeres to Coventry City for just €1.2 million in 2021 was a huge mistake from the Seagulls.

The forward had spent the previous year on loan at Coventry and his form convinced the Championship club to sign him on a permanent deal. That decision was a masterstroke as Gyokeres continued to fire on all cylinders before sealing a €20m transfer to Sporting in 2023.

Now, Gyokeres is wanted by the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea, but who exactly is he?

What position does Viktor Gyokeres play?

Gyokeres plays as a centre-forward, who specialises through the middle.

How good is Viktor Gyokeres?

The Sweden international is an excellent striker with so many desirable traits. He is capable of playing a variety of different roles through the middle, including running the channel and being utilised as a traditional target man.

His finishing is superb and his physical attributes mean he won’t be bullied by any centre-back he faces.

Gyokeres netted 21 goals and provided 10 assists during his final Championship season for Coventry and continued that form upon arriving in Lisbon, bagging a brace on his Sporting debut.

He contributed three goals and one assist in five matches during his first ever Europa League group stage campaign, while he bagged nine goals and four assists in his first 11 league games for Sporting too.

The former Brighton man is an all-round forward with an eye for goal and a clinical nature that rarely sees him squander a good opportunity. As a result, it’s not at all surprising that big clubs are beginning to take notice.

Sporting manager Ruben Amorin has even stated that Gyokeres will only be sold if his €100m release clause is activated, which shows how highly he is rated in Portugal.

He became Sporting’s all-time record signing when he joined the club from Coventry in 2023 and Gyokeres will be sold for a far larger fee if he does end up leaving the club for pastures new.

What clubs are interested in Viktor Gyokeres?

Several Premier League clubs were keen on signing Gyokeres directly from Coventry, but interest in his services has spiked since his move to Sporting CP.

Chelsea have regularly scouted Gyokeres in 2023-24, according to Portuguese outlet O Jojo, while Arsenal are also interested, as per The Mirror.

How old is Viktor Gyokeres?

Gyokeres was born on June 4, 1998. He is 25 years old at the time of writing.

When does Viktor Gyokeres’ contract expire?

Gyokeres’ current Sporting CP contract runs until June 30, 2028.

What is Viktor Gyokeres’ Instagram?

Gyokeres’ Instagram account is @viktorgyokeres. He has 128k followers as of December 2023.