Paul Merson has voiced his surprise over Manchester United’s interest in signing Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres, arguing that the move would be a significant risk given the player’s limited exposure to elite competition.
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Merson highlighted that Gyokeres, who only recently joined Sporting from Coventry, didn’t draw much attention while playing in the Championship.
However, his impressive tally of 29 goals and ten assists last season has attracted attention from clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea, as well as United, following reports of Sporting manager Ruben Amorim’s potential move to Old Trafford.
Despite Gyokeres’ stellar performances in Portugal, Merson is skeptical, stressing that while Sporting is highly regarded in the Portuguese league, the challenges of the Premier League could prove to be a different test for the Swedish forward.
Merson remarked that if United had pursued Gyokeres while he was still at Coventry, the transfer would likely have been met with widespread skepticism.
The 26-year-old has continued his prolific form this season, scoring 20 goals across all competitions, and could be available in January for £50-58 million—a notable reduction from his reported €100 million release clause.
Meanwhile, Gyokeres downplayed rumors of a potential move to United, expressing contentment at Sporting and his disappointment over Amorim’s expected departure.