Why Viktor Gyokeres is One of Europe's Most Coveted

One performance can propel a player to international fame – Viktor Gyokeres was already on that path with a growing list of admirers across the continent. Doubts persisted over his ability to perform at the highest level, but the Champions League hat-trick against Manchester City earlier this season altered perceptions. 

Despite injury this season, Gyokeres is currently just two strikes shy of his 29-goal return in Portugal’s top flight in 2023/24. Sporting CP’s number nine is at the forefront of his country’s thinking when constructing a Swedish attack alongside compatriot and potentially soon-to-be Premier League colleague Alexander Isak. 

Let’s take a look at the potential next steps for the Sporting CP man. 

Summer Suitors Line Up For Swedish Duo

The data is undeniable – his talent is unquestionable. 66 goals in 68 matches under Ruben Amorim showcased a monstrous talent in and around the penalty box. But, why, exactly are so many of Europe’s top clubs lining up to take Viktor Gyokeres out of Lisbon?

Gyokeres’ mentality stands out above all else. Almost every quote from former managers and teammates is a glowing endorsement. They say he has a burning desire to be the best,  to push and push himself and those alongside him. That determination is found in a select group of professionals in the sport we love. Mark Robins’ assistant at Coventry, Adrian Viveash, told the Athletic how he’d speak to Gyokeres about the top players he has worked with previously in his career. Viktor’s response? “Well, I’m better than them.”

Gyokeres has a useful habit of arriving at a new setting and becoming the most impactful player at the club. That happened at both Coventry and Sporting CP. That will prove more difficult if Viktor is to head to one of Europe’s top clubs. 

Viktor Gyokeres: Where next?

Where next? Realistically, only a handful of clubs across Europe could afford a deal. Following Ruben Amorim to Manchester United makes sense. The Red Devils are desperate for a goalscorer but this could be a financial step too far for a struggling club. 

The Premier League is where the money is. Liverpool and Arsenal are desperate for a centre forward, with both clubs already linked with a summer move for Isak. Could Gyokeres make their shopping list? International teammate Alexander Isak could scupper any move with England’s top sides both reportedly keen on the Newcastle man. 

Barcelona and Real Madrid could be interested in La Liga but both already have a wealth of attacking options. It’s a similar story in Germany where Harry Kane’s presence likely rules out a Bayern switch. One potential destination that has the financial muscle is Paris Saint-Germain. PSG are back amongst Europe’s elite and Gyokeres would slot into their attack rather nicely: exciting, dynamic, efficient, and youthful. If the Premier League fails in their approaches, don’t be surprised to see the Swede in Parisian blue next season.

Operating in the Realms Above What Is Expected  

That habit of becoming the best player at his new club may not continue forever. Viktor Gyorkeres has never played domestic football in one of Europe’s top five leagues. The hope is that the better players and coaches will take his game to the next level. The nagging fear is that he won’t make the step up. 

Potential admirers will be enamored with his underlying data. Gyorkeres scored 29 goals from 22.71xG for Sporting last season. He’s bagged 27 from 21.94xG in Portugal’s top flight this campaign. 

That overperformance might suggest Viktor Gyokeres will revert to mean in a stronger league against better players. On the other side of the fence, perhaps this overperformance is Gyokeres’ true level. Maybe that’s where he will reside regardless of the club – in the realms above what’s expected, where few players operate, in the upper echelons of footballing capability. 

It’s perhaps best to look at data outside of Sporting’s performance in the Primeira Liga. Gyorkeres’ data overperformance continues in the Champions League. He bagged six from 4.51 xG in Europe’s top club competition this season. 

Viktor Gyokeres: Firing Sweden to success

We can also look to his time with the Sweden national team as evidence of Gyorkeres’ ability to gel with elite players. The 2026 World Cup and Euro 2028 could be Gyokeres’ moment. He and Alexander Isak possess the tools to form the best strike partnership at both tournaments. 

The next step on that journey is World Cup qualification from a group including Slovenia, Kosovo and Switzerland. The Swiss will pose Sweden’s biggest task, but should they be the 1.80 favourites with the bookmakers to finish as group winners? Sweden’s odds are at 2.45. That represents an implied probability of 40.8% (compared to Switzerland’s 55.6%) which is harsh to a team this good. 

Neither player is scared of shooting on sight. In the recent Nations League campaign for Sweden, Isak ended up with 6.72 shots per 90. That was just in front of Gyokeres’ 5.30 per 90. Both were in the top four of all competing players for that figure. Not one to be in the shadow of the Newcastle man, Viktor sits atop the charts for goalscoring – two clear of Norway’s Erling Haaland – and shots on target per 90 minutes. 

These two strikers are as good as it gets on the continent. Viktor Gyokeres and Isak can fire Sweden to glory. The scariest thing? Both might be moving to bigger and better clubs in the summer and both will probably take their game to the next level. 

Back Sweden (2.45) to overcome Switzerland in World Cup Qualifying in Group B.

Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.

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