New Director of Football Hugo Viana is keen on recruiting Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres when he takes up his position with City next year, according to The Mirror.
The English tabloid claims that the Premier League champions are looking to add more firepower up front but there are doubts over whether Gyokeres would be open to a move to the Etihad as he wouldn’t want to play second fiddle to Erling Haaland.
Some supporters on X think signing Gyokeres is a non-starter as the Swedish international would reject the idea of being a backup option. However, others would back a change in formation in order to accommodate him:
Don’t see that happening for the reason he’d be a back up, the player himself has said he wants to be a striker.
— Blue Tone (@MCFCTone) November 23, 2024
Pep has to play two up front then.
— Jake Pritchard (@JakePritchardFC) November 23, 2024
idk how they’d even work together but who cares
— ¹⁰ (@SxrgioSZN) November 23, 2024
Bring him in. Play 352 or even 442.even 532. Just bring in a second striker..
— Two30 (@TheeCityzen) November 24, 2024
We need a goal scoring attacker that can play across the front, not another big lump of a 9
— Code Blue (@ClaireMulcahy17) November 23, 2024
Two marauders upfront
We will be there for new Pep Guardiola innovation .
— Kunalcrypto (@kunalcrypto) November 24, 2024
Unless pep plays with two strikers (he won’t) it’s not gonna happen
— Jake 🇧🇼 (@MCFCJake__) November 23, 2024
Gyokeres is in high demand
After scoring 24 goals in his first 19 appearances this season, clubs across Europe are weighing up potential bids for the 26-year-old.
In terms of other Premier League clubs, both Arsenal and Chelsea have been heavily linked, while rivals Manchester United could also be one to watch out for, considering Gyokeres’s former manager Ruben Amorim is now in charge at Old Trafford.
City’s transfer priorities lie elsewhere
Although Haaland does need a backup, with the club having not replaced Julian Alvarez last summer, it is unlikely that they will devote the £60m+ needed to buy Gyokeres.
That money could be better spent on other areas of the pitch. Midfield needs a major revamp, with Kevin De Bruyne seemingly poised to leave, while the defence could do with some reinforcements too, especially at right-back where a long-term replacement for Kyle Walker is required.
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here
