Exclusive: David Prutton reveals whether he is surprised at Viktor Gyokeres developments after Coventry City exit | OneFootball

EFL expert David Prutton spoke exclusively to Football League World about Viktor Gyokeres' trajectory after leaving Coventry City two years ago

Viktor Gyokeres has transformed into a global sensation after leaving Coventry City for Sporting CP in the summer of 2023 - and few could have really seen it coming.

The Swedish striker spent the second half of the 2020/21 campaign on loan with the Sky Blues from Brighton and Hove Albion to begin his career at the CBS Arena, but posted a modest return of just three goals from 19 Championship appearances.

Mark Robins, however, saw enough to convince him to make Gyokeres' stay in the West Midlands permanent, shelling out a reported £1 million fee to do so that summer. The rest, as they say, is history.

Gyokeres' two seasons contracted as a permanent Sky Blues player would see him clock up 40 goals and 17 assists in 90 outings, with his 21 strikes in the 2022/23 season helping the side all the way to the Championship play-off final, where they were undone by Luton Town on penalties.

Although Coventry were denied top-flight football, Gyokeres had booked his ticket and earned a reported £21 million move to the Portuguese capital. Since joining Sporting, the striker's stock has gone through the stratosphere; from just 96 appearances, Gyokeres has found the back of the net on 90 occasions, while providing an additional 36 assists for good measure.

With 47 strikes this season, including a notable hattrick in the 4-1 UEFA Champions League group stage demolition of Manchester City back in November, Gyokeres has been linked to just about every leading side in Europe. The likes of Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Manchester United and Liverpool are all reportedly interested in Gyokeres, who is said to have an £85 million release clause, and it represents an extremely far cry from his earlier days in the Championship.

David Prutton's verdict on Viktor Gyokeres after Coventry City exit

Sky Sports pundit and EFL expert David Prutton has revealed his own surprise at Gyokeres' exploits after leaving Coventry. Now a world-class striker with the courtship of major clubs across Europe, the Swedish international's trajectory has been truly breathtaking - Prutton was always fond of Gyokeres but did not anticipate him scoring so freely at Champions League level.

“I don’t think I necessarily saw Gyokeres as a Champions League playing, goalscoring striker, but I was very, very impressed with his time at Coventry given what he was and is, which is slightly different to what we’ve seen from a number nine,” Prutton explained when speaking exclusively to Football League World.

“He’s someone who actively enjoyed the physical side of it, could dominate the back two or three on his own, covered a vast amount of mileage during the course of the game and obviously knew where the back of the net was.

“You never know how a player’s career is going to develop. I think there have been several Premier League clubs that possibly missed a trick there, because if he does come back to English football, he will be infinitely more expensive than what he would’ve been a couple of years back.

“That’s because he’s gone away and has proven himself at the top level in Europe.

“He’s a tremendous player and he was in the Championship. He was a huge star for Coventry and I know they were gutted when he left, Gus Hamer as well moving on at the same time [to Sheffield United].

“I would not be surprised at all to see him playing in the Premier League for a team challenging at the top-end.”

Coventry City could face Viktor Gyokeres in the Premier League next season

In what would be a remarkable turn of fate, Coventry could well end up facing off against the marksman next season if they return to the Premier League and he returns to English football.

A host of top-flight sides are sure to register an interest in Gyokeres this summer, and given just how likely it appears that he will leave Portugal for bigger and better things, a return to these shores is very much on the cards.

Coventry, meanwhile, are poised to record a play-off finish under Frank Lampard, who has the side sixth in the Championship with just two games to spare. They will likely play third-placed Sheffield United in the semi-finals.