Alan Shearer has predicted which club Viktor Gyokeres will join after holding talks with Manchester United and Arsenal.
Gyokeres is expected to be the subject of a big-money move this summer after another superb season at Sporting Lisbon.
The 27-year-old scored 54 goals in all competitions – more than a goal a game – as Sporting clinched the Portuguese league title.
That followed the 43 goals he scored during his first season at Sporting after being signed from Championship side Coventry City in 2023.
Manchester United emerged as the frontrunners to sign Gyokeres following Ruben Amorim’s move from Sporting to Old Trafford in November.
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Amorim is keen to sign a new No. 9 this summer following Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirzkee’s disappointing seasons and enjoyed working with Gyokeres.
Failing to qualify for the Champions League harmed United’s chances of signing the Sweden international but they still intend to win the transfer race.
They will, however, have to see off competition from Premier League rivals Arsenal to secure a deal for Gyokeres.
The Gunners held talks with Gyokeres’ representatives earlier this week and are lining up their first official bid after Mikel Arteta instructed the club to bolster his attacking options.
Arsenal have also been linked with Benjamin Sesko and may be forced to focus on the RB Leipzig forward as Shearer expects Gyokeres to end up at Manchester United.
Gyokeres could become Amorim’s third signing of the summer following Matheus Cunha – who has made a £62.5m move from Wolves – and Bryan Mbeumo, who is in talks over joining from Brentford.
Discussing the state of play at Old Trafford, Shearer told Betfair: ‘Bruno Fernandes was the only plus point for Manchester United last season – God knows where they would have been without him.
‘They’ve got Matheus Cunha in and we’re going to see a big turnover of players in the next two months at United. They have to get a number of players out, and to do that they have to get a number of players in for that club to have a refresh.
Shearer tips Gyokeres for Man Utd transfer
‘It’s been so bad for so long, but everything came together in a bad way which they didn’t want to see this season for Man United. It’s a huge pre-season for them in terms of who they’re getting in and out.
‘The Bryan Mbeumo transfer isn’t done yet and I know that other clubs were in for him including Newcastle. Whether Spurs try to hijack that if they get Thomas Frank in, which it seems that’ll be the case.
‘On Viktor Gyokeres, I’m not surprised at all if they get him because of his work with Sporting and Ruben Amorim before, I think that was always going to be the case.
‘They’re not in Europe this year, they’re not in the Champions League and they’re going to have to pay huge wages to get the players and tempt them away from other clubs that are going to be interested in them.’
Gyokeres was thought to be available for around £58m earlier in the year but Sporting Lisbon say offers closer to his release clause of £84m will be needed to prise him away from the Portuguese champions.
‘Threats, blackmail and insults don’t work with me,’ Sporting president Frederico Varandas said. ‘I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60+10 million because I never promised him that.
‘This game that the agent is playing only makes the situation worse. [Are there offers for 60 million?] To this day, Sporting has not had an offer for Viktor Gyokeres, neither today nor last season.’
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