EXCLUSIVE: Gyokeres rejects Man Utd transfer in order to 'win trophies'

Suraj Radia

Updated: 27 Mar 2025 18:24 CDT
3 min read

Viktor Gyokeres, The Transfers Podcast — © IMAGO

Viktor Gyokeres rejected a transfer to Manchester United in January as he wants his next transfer to be a club where he can prove his credentials and win trophies, The Transfers Podcast has been told.

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The 26-year-old is expected to be available for transfer this summer after two prolific seasons with Sporting Lisbon and, while Ruben Amorim would ‘love’ to bring Gyokeres to United, the Swedish striker does not believe the club is the best option at his age.

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Current ETV

Viktor Gyökeres

F (C)

Sporting CP

Viktor Gyökeres

F (C)

Sporting CP

ETV Range

€67.3M - €82.3M

Duncan Castles told The Transfers Podcast that Gyokeres’ only incentive to move to Old Trafford was to reunite with Amorim, however his decision this summer will be motivated by trying to prove his spell in Portugal is reflective of his true ability.

“He wants to go to a club where he can prove himself, where he can win trophies, and his assessment of where Manchester United are at the moment is that is not the option to take in a summer where he'll be turning 27,” Castles said on the latest episode of The Transfers Podcast.

“He's going to look at the clubs that are making him offers and pick the one that he thinks is the best place to demonstrate his time in England in the lower division and at Brighton weren't an accurate representation of his abilities as a player, and that what he's done in Portugal can be replicated in the English League or elsewhere in Europe.”

“He will be available this summer,” Castles added. “Sporting have a gentleman's agreement that he can leave for around €80m. What I'm hearing is that his agents will try and push that fee down to €60-70m."

Gyokeres unlikely to make Saudi switch amid Premier League links

Gyokeres played his early career in his native Sweden before joining Brighton in 2018 for €1m, however he failed to make a league appearance for the Seagulls, instead spending time on loan at St Pauli, Swansea and Coventry.

Despite an underwhelming three goals in 30 Championship games that season, Coventry signed Gyokeres for €1.2m and he went on to net 38 times in 91 appearances for the club.

Gyokeres became Sporting’s record transfer in 2023 for an initial €20m and he has gone on to grab an astonishing 57 goals in 58 games as well as scoring 11 times in 17 European matches.

STATS

Viktor Gyökeres

F (C)

Sporting CP

Viktor Gyökeres

F (C)

Sporting CP

47

Games
49

Goals
14

Assists

FootballTransfers exclusively revealed last week that Nottingham Forest were among the sides keen to make an ambitious move for Gyokeres this summer.

The striker is also a top target for the Saudi Pro League, although Castles does not believe the Gyokeres will choose to move to the Gulf nation.