Rio Ferdinand has suggested that Viktor Gyokeres could be on his way to Manchester United, possibly following his current coach Ruben Amorim after an impressive Champions League hat-trick against Man City.
Gyokeres has been in sensational form under Amorim at Sporting Lisbon. In what may have been Amorim’s last home game as Sporting’s manager before moving to United, his team achieved a stunning 4-1 victory over City.
Man City started strong, with Phil Foden scoring in the fourth minute. Gyokeres had an early chance to equalize but couldn’t convert, as his chip went straight to Ederson. He didn’t miss twice, though—soon after, he scored a fantastic equalizer in the 38th minute.
Sporting took the lead early in the second half, thanks to a goal by Maximiliano Araujo. Gyokeres then stepped up to take not one, but two penalty shots, confidently completing his hat-trick and sealing the win for Sporting.
After the game, Ferdinand was full of praise for Gyokeres. Speaking on TNT Sports, he mentioned that Premier League clubs might be regretting not snapping up the Swedish striker earlier, especially after his strong performances in Europe.
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Ferdinand highlighted that Gyokeres’ journey to the top hasn’t been straightforward. He started at Brighton, moved to Coventry, spent time on loan at Swansea, returned to Coventry, and then made his way to Sporting Lisbon. It’s been a climb, but Gyokeres has shown resilience and growth along the way.
According to Ferdinand, Gyokeres has developed the physicality, confidence, and composure that make him a force on the field. Ferdinand noted how the striker blew past defenders and held them off during the game.
This hat-trick brought Gyokeres’ season tally to an impressive 23 goals in just 17 matches, with his overall record at Sporting now an outstanding 63 goals in 66 games.
Ferdinand speculated that Amorim might want to bring Gyokeres with him to United. Managers often take a key player or two when they switch clubs, and Gyokeres’ form makes him a prime candidate to follow his coach.
Currently joint top scorer in the Champions League with five goals, Gyokeres is catching the eye of many clubs, and a move to the Premier League could be on the horizon.
Reports suggest that Sporting might consider selling him next summer for a fee in the range of £50-58 million, though his release clause stands at a hefty £85 million.