Manchester United have opened talks to sign Viktor Gyokeres in the summer, according to a report.
Gyokeres is one of the most in-form and highly sought-after stars in Europe having netted 24 goals in just 21 games so far in all competitions this season.
Those numbers include five Champions League goals in as many matches, with the Swede netting a hat-trick against United’s rivals, Manchester City, in Europe last month.
All of his fine form at the Portuguese club came under new United boss Ruben Amorim, who turned the 26-year-old from a Championship star in England to a coveted star in European football.
He scored 66 times in 68 games under Amorim and is now worth considerably more than the £19.5million club record fee Sporting Lisbon paid for him a little over a year ago.
And, according to Sky’s Florian Plettenberg, talks have now started over the forward potentially moving to Old Trafford – but United will have to sell first before they can do business.
Manchester United have reportedly opened talks to sign Viktor Gyokeres in the summer
The forward played the best football of his career under new United boss Amorim (left)
United will, however, reportedly have to sell players before they can bring the forward in
It seems certain that Gyokeres will leave Sporting in the summer after announcing himself to the world stage over the last year-and-a-half, but the destination remains unclear.
A move to United would see him reunite with Amorim, with the 39-year-old putting pen to paper on a deal lasting two-and-a-half years after he replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag.
The Red Devils could be on the hunt for a new striker, with Marcus Rashford currently playing up front despite spending most of his recent years out wide.
Joshua Zirkzee netted for the first time in the Premier League since the opening day of the season on Sunday as he bagged a brace in the 4-0 win over Everton, but he was deployed deeper in the match.
Rasmus Hojlund, who United paid £72m for last year, has been a substitute in both of Amorim’s Premier League matches in charge, but didn’t come off the bench on Sunday.
The Dane did, however, net a brace in the Europa League against Bodo/Glimt on Thursday evening.
And though Amorim is a Sporting and Gyokeres connection at United, there are also former representatives of the Portuguese side at United’s rivals, Manchester City.
Sporting director of football Huge Viana will leave the club at the end of the season to join City and Pep Guardiola, and is reported to be keen to take his current star man with him.
