Manchester United offered 'overnight' chance to sign Viktor Gyokeres - from under Arsenal's noses: report

Sporting Lisbon hotshot Viktor Gyokeres has reportedly already held talks with Arsenal's representatives

Viktor Gyokeres has reportedly already held talks with Arsenal's representatives (Image credit: Getty Images)

Manchester United have reportedly been offered the chance to steal Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres from under the noses of Arsenal.

Arsenal’s striker needs are well known, with injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz last season requiring midfielder Mikel Merino to step up front as an auxiliary target man.

The Gunners are widely reported to have narrowed their search primarily to just one man, Gyokeres, but there could yet be a twist in the tale.

Manchester United offered chance to disrupt Arsenal’s Gyokeres deal

Ruben Amorim gives Viktor Gyokeres a handshake at Sporting — Gyokeres worked under Amorim at Sporting (Image credit: Getty Images)

United are another club who have been touted as a potential landing spot for Gyokeres, ranked at no.8 in FourFourTwo's list of the best strikers in the world right now, with their manager Ruben Amorim having already managed the Swede at Sporting before making his way to Old Trafford.

The Red Devils need a reliable no.9 with their current main striker, Rasmus Hojlund, only managing four league goals last season. With Arsenal dragging their feet, they’ve been offered one final chance.

Manchester United forward Rasmus Hojlund has dwindled in front of goal this season — United are in the market for striker after a difficult season for Rasmus Hojlund (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Sporting have offered United a last-minute chance to steal a march on Arsenal over Gyokeres.

“Overnight, the night between Monday and Tuesday, agents close to Sporting offered again to Manchester United the opportunity to enter into the deal and try to hijack the move,” Romano reported via his YouTube channel.

He continued: “So basically, what they did in this kind of case is to tell Man United something like: if you want, Arsenal are offering this, but they’ve not closed the deal yet. So, if you want, you can still enter and reach an agreement with Sporting.

“It’s also very important to say that at the same moment, the message from Viktor Gyökeres and his agent to Arsenal has been very clear: ‘I only want to go to Arsenal.'”

Sporting Lisbon striker Victor Gyokeres is expected to be on the move this summer — Despite the last-minute offer to United, Gyokeres is thought to have his heart set on Arsenal (Image credit: Getty Images)

In FourFourTwo’s view, this feels more like the Portuguese side making a final play for some extra money, rather than interest United are definitely going to pursue.

If the contract to sell Gyokeres to Arsenal has not yet been signed, then Sporting would be the main beneficiaries of the Red Devils entering the race, creating a bidding war and pushing the price of the striker up, leveraging each Premier League side against the other.

It’s therefore no wonder Sporting are keen to offer United the chance to enter the race, but it still feels unlikely that they will at this stage, especially with the striker’s known preference to be north London.

Gyokeres is worth €75m, according to Transfermarkt.

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Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.

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