Gyokeres believes he can become like Cristiano Ronaldo

Robin Bairner

• 18 Dec 2024 04:45 CST
• 4 min read

Viktor Gyokeres believes that he can become like Cristiano Ronaldo, with the Sporting CP striker setting an ambitious target for himself amid ongoing transfer speculation.

Although Gyokeres has been adamant that he will not leave Sporting during the January transfer window, rumours have built in recent days that suggest that his will could be tested.

PSG are readying a €100 million offer that would match his release clause, while the revelations that Marcus Rashford wants to leave Manchester United could see the Red Devils dip into the market to reinforce the attack of Ruben Amorim, a coach that the Sweden star is known to love.

STATS

Viktor Gyökeres

F (C)

Sporting CP

Viktor Gyökeres

F (C)

Sporting CP

All Tournaments

2024/25

• 30

  Games

• 35

  Goals

• 9

  Assists

View all stats

If Gyokeres were to move to Man Utd from Sporting, he would be following in the footsteps of Ronaldo, yet he wants to shatter one of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s great records before he does that.

The striker has Ronaldo’s tally of 69 goals in a calendar year in his sights. He currently lies on 61 and needs eight more to match that mark of the Portugal legend, who hit that figure in 2013 and remains prolific with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

“It’s difficult but not impossible,” he told Aftonbladet. “It’s possible. We still have a few games to play and of course it’s something I’m looking for. But first of all you have to win the games, if you can then achieve the objective it’s a bonus.

“It’s about always being hungry to score goals. Even when you score a few, you want to keep going, you don’t feel satisfied.”

Gyokeres might match Ronaldo, who continues to provide a mark of excellence and is chasing 1000 career goals, but Lionel Messi’s record of 91 in the calendar year of 2012 will certainly still stand.

Unsettled Gyokeres?

Speculation over Gyokeres’ future has built since angry Sporting fans threw objects at the team following a Champions League loss against Club Brugge away from home.

After the incident, the striker came out and criticised the supporters, hinting towards his unhappiness with the downturn in form that the Lisbon side have suffered since Amorim’s exit.

PSG, Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal are all thought to be interested in him, with a January transfer now ruled out.