Football League World
·3 dicembre 2024
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·3 dicembre 2024
Manchester United have concrete interest in Sporting forward Viktor Gyokeres, with Coventry City set to receive a sell-on clause
Coventry City will be on alert following Manchester United's increased interest in former Sky Blues striker Viktor Gyokeres, who is on prolific form for Liga Portugal outfit Sporting Club.
Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg revealed on X: "Manchester United have now made initial concrete talks regarding Viktor Gyökeres and a potential move in the summer.
"The Red Devils are now fully involved.
"However, this will require sales first!"
During his time with the Sky Blues, Gyokeres scored 17 Championship goals during the 2021/22 season, before his return of 21 goals during the 2022/23 second tier campaign fired the West Midlands side to the play-off final.
But since joining Sporting, the Sweden international has hit new heights, and notched an incredible 43 goals and 14 assists in 50 appearances across all competitions last campaign, and this season he has already scored 16 goals in just 12 Liga Portugal outings.
According to TeamTalk, Gyokeres has an £83m release clause in his Sporting contract, which the Red Devils would likely have to trigger in order to land his services.
Meanwhile, such a move would be good news for the Sky Blues, as Portugese outlet Ojogo revealed back in November 2023 that the Championship club will receive a sell-on clause of up to 15% of any future profit Sporting make on the striker.
Therefore, if Gyokeres joined the Red Devils for £83m, the Sky Blues could receive over £12m, which could help fund a promotion push under new boss Frank Lampard next season.
While there is still a long way to go in the current Championship season, a serious play-off push could be beyond the Sky Blues' capabilities this term, as they currently sit just three points above the relegation zone.
Furthermore, the Red Devils are reportedly keen to sign Gyokeres next summer, rather than during the upcoming January transfer window, meaning that Lampard's men will become the beneficiaries of his sell-on clause ahead of next season, rather than during the current campaign.
And given the fact that Gyokeres' former Sporting manager Ruben Amorim is now in the dugout at Old Trafford, Man United would likely be able to fend off any fellow interested parties.
So, assuming he is able to guide his new club comfortably away from the drop zone this campaign, Lampard will likely receive the funds he needs to build his own squad next summer, ahead of a potential promotion push come the 2025/26 season.
Although he will already be looking for additions in January, having inherited former boss Mark Robins' squad, perhaps it is not until Gyokeres' sell-on clause lands that Lampard will be able to shape his own Sky Blues squad together, in an effort to instill his own methods at the CBS Arena.