Shock Viktor Gyokeres price drop leaves Man Utd, Chelsea primed to strike as Prem rivals also circle

Manchester United and Chelsea are expected to be at the front of the queue for the potential signing of Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres and will be buoyed by a report that his price tag has dropped.

The Sweden international is in the form of his life, having scored 23 goals in just 17 games in all competitions so far this season, including a remarkable seven in his last two outings.

It’s been reported in numerous outlets that United and Chelsea are the frontrunners for Gyokeres‘ signature, given both clubs are in the market for another No.9, while Arsenal and Liverpool are also known to be monitoring the 26-year-old’s progress.

And it appears that the Daily Telegraph has given them a lift in their respective pursuits by reporting that his asking price could drop to just £63million (€75m/$81m) next summer.

Gyokeres’ current release clause is higher than that, but the Telegraph suggests that Sporting will be prepared to let him go on something of a discount deal, which would certainly represent a major bargain.

The natural fit would appear to be United, given that his current boss Ruben Amorim is on his way to Old Trafford, but the Red Devils already have already invested over £100m in strike duo Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.

Chelsea also have the ever-improving Nicholas Jackson on their books, but that won’t stop them taking the plunge given their track record in recent transfer windows.

It could be argued that Arsenal would be the biggest beneficiaries if they were to sign Gyokeres, given Gabriel Jesus’ struggles and the fact that Kai Havertz is still developing his role as a central striker.

But all interested parties will be on alert if the Telegraph’s report proves to be correct by the time next summer rolls around, especially given that Sporting are highly unlikely to do business in January when they have already lost Amorim and willl still likely have so much to play for.

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Amorim reacts to Man Utd Gyokeres links

Incoming United manager Ruben Amorim has offered his thoughts on the prospects of reuniting with Gyokeres at Old Trafford – but insisted he could land himself in hot water if he speaks out about the Swede and amid claims he is one of THREE Sporting Lisbon stars he wants to bring with him to the Premier League.

Ousmane Diomande, Goncalo Inacio and Gyokeres are all being tipped to follow Amorim to Old Trafford in the near future as the highly-rated Portuguese coach looks to put his identity into his new club.

But Amorim is playing his cards close to his chest when it comes to speaking about some of his current Sporting stars, particularly lethal frontman Gyokeres.

Indeed, the 39-year-old coach addressed those rumours with a little hint at where the land lies with the player.

“If I start joking about this Gyokeres situation I’ll get in trouble,” Amorim told Portuguese outlet A Bola. “This is my city, this is my country, so I’ll respect it. Viktor has to stay until the end of the season and then his life will probably go somewhere else.”

The last part of that quote appears to suggest that the striker will be on the move next summer and United have to be considered among the favourites for his signature, given Amorim’s relationship with the Swede.

Latest Man Utd news: Rashford facing United exit/ Onana reacts to Ten Hag axing

Former Manchester United star Teddy Sheringham has warned Marcus Rashford he may be in the last-chance saloon at Old Trafford, with new boss Ruben Amorim unlikely to settle for under-par performances – while the former Red Devils star has named the first player he thinks the new manager will look to sign.

Meanwhile, Andre Onana says he retains “a very good relationship” with Erik ten Hag despite admitting that the Dutchman “paid the price” for poor results after his sacking at Manchester United.

Ruben Amorim is arriving in a wave of expectation after running riot in Portugal with Sporting, as was evidenced in the 4-1 Champions League rout of Manchester City on Tuesday night, but that is exactly the sentiment Erik ten Hag arrived with after impressing at Ajax.

Amorim will be hoping to buck that trend when he starts work at Old Trafford on March 11 but, in the meantime, Onana has lifted the lid on Ten Hag’s exit having been brought to the club by the Dutchman.

IN FOCUS – Viktor Gyokeres: The man that can’t stop scoring

After notching a remarkable 43 goals in 50 games in his first season in Portugal after moving from Coventry, Gyokeres has carried on where he left off this time around.

Gyokeres has got on the scoresheet in 13 of his 17 appearances for Sporting so far this season and netted four times in his last league outing against Estrela Amadora as well as upstaging Erling Haaland as he scored a hat-trick in Sporting’s 4-1 thumping of City in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

And while a big-money move for Gyokeres might be seen as somewhat of a gamble, given that he is currently doing his damage in an inferior league, the fact that he is looking so dangerous on the Champions League stage means it’s only a matter of time before one of Europe’s biggest hitters snaps him up.