Gyokeres FEAR behind shock Sporting decision

Robin Bairner

• 23 Jan 2025 11:42 GMT
• 4 min read

Viktor Gyokeres has earned a reputation as being one of the most fearsome strikers in Europe, with his scoring record this season attracting interest from the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Newcastle and many more top clubs.

It came as a huge shock, then, when Sporting CP elected to bench the 26-year-old forward for their Champions League encounter against RB Leipzig.

The Lisbon club went on to lose the game 2-1, Benjamin Sesko, another major transfer target for the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea, netting the opener for the Bundesliga side, who were already eliminated from the competition.

When Gyokeres did take to the field, he showed why there is so much transfer chatter around him. Gathering the ball 30 yards out, he exploded past a defender before hammering a fierce shot into the top corner of the near post.

Viktor Gyokeres

Take a bow, it has taken me some time but I’ve come to terms with the fact that Manchester United doesn’t have a striker.
Just slam the ball into the net from anywhere, nothing fancy.pic.twitter.com/kbzAeYY6ac

— Koko (@UTDMegish) January 22, 2025

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With Sporting sliding towards potential elimination if they do not beat Bologna at home next Wednesday, questions were naturally asked of head coach Rui Borges decision to leave him out.

“We are talking about the best player in the Portuguese league, the most sought-after player in all of Europe. Everyone can understand that if he was 100 percent healthy, he would have played, right? I am not crazy,” the coach said, revealing that Gyokeres is carrying a problem with his right knee.

“He’s been tired. We’re trying to deal with the situation. He could have played from the start but we would have risked having to do without him for a longer period of time.”

STATS

Viktor Gyökeres

F (C)

Sporting CP

Viktor Gyökeres

F (C)

Sporting CP

All Tournaments

2024/25

• 32

  Games

• 34

  Goals

• 6

  Assists

View all stats

Viktor Gyokeres transfer latest

While Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea are interested in Gyokeres, FootballTransfers understands that it is Newcastle who are most active in chasing the Sweden international hitman.

In an exclusive report, we revealed that Eddie Howe’s side are tracking the player in the belief that they will lose Alexander Isak in the summer.

While Arsenal are also following Isak, Liverpool are ahead of them for the time being in this particular race.

Gyokeres, who had previously expressed some discontent in Lisbon following Ruben Amorim’s exit to Man Utd, looks likely to stay at Sporting until the summer unless there is a huge turnaround in his situation.