02 May 2024 8 min read Premier League News

Who is Viktor Gyökeres? Why do Premier League clubs want to sign him?

As reported by Trigger The Press (TTP) this week, Viktor Gyökeres is being courted by Premier League, La Liga, and Bundesliga teams.

The striker who only made his Sporting CP debut in August 2023, is already being tipped for a move away from the Lisbon-based club, with Europe's elite clubs fighting to secure the services of the 25-year-old Swedish international.

There is a €100 million release clause in his contract, which may tempt Premier League clubs to strike early in the transfer window without having to get into a bidding war.

But who is Viktor Gyökeres? Why do Premier League clubs want to sign him? And which club would be the best fit for the Sporting Lisbon striker?

How do you pronounce Viktor Gyökeres?

Let’s start with the basics, to make sure we’re all on the same page with this one.

As his name is Swedish, it is pronounced ‘Yo-kar-esh’.

‘Yo-kar-esh’ is how you pronounce Gyökeres.

Got it? Now you can start pronouncing his name the right way as you continue reading about this rare talent.

Why do Premier League clubs want Viktor Gyökeres?

Viktor Gyökeres is first and foremost a goalscorer. He proved that during his time with Coventry City in the Championship, scoring 41 goals across two and a half seasons at the Midlands club.

Since making the €20 million move to Sporting CP in July 2023, he has netted 25 goals and assisted 9 times in Liga Portugal.

Viktor Gyökeres playing for Sporting vs. Vizela

At the time of his move, Coventry City fans were bewildered by the fact that no Premier League team came in for him last summer.

An opportunity missed, perhaps, but Gyökeres has evolved and matured under Ruben Amorim, Sporting CP's manager.

He has become the focal point of Amorim's direct and aggressive 3-4-3 system, and his linkup play has become truly world-class.

Viktor Gyökeres stats

When we look at some of his stats compared to other strikers in Europe's top 5 leagues, we start to see what type of player Viktor Gyökeres is becoming.

The Swedish international ranks in the top 1-2% for assists, progressive carries, progressive passes received and expected assisted goals.

If you're not a statistician, to put it simply, Gyökeres is incredibly important he is in the Sporting CP system. He is the lynchpin for the attack and touches the ball more than the midfielders in most games.

His ability to drop deep and to lay the ball off to his teammates, usually the fullbacks, is vital to how Amorim's system works to break stubborn teams down, but also in transition.

If there was a stat for the assist before the assist, he'd most likely rank in the top 1% for that too.

But what this doesn't show, is how strong he is as a player. Whilst he's not the quickest striker in Europe, he uses his physicality to engineer his playmaking.

Would Gyökeres be a good transfer for Arsenal?

Arsenal are in the market for a striker this summer transfer window.

Mikel Arteta is looking for a player who can ask real focal point for the Arsenal attack, and somebody who can link play.

Viktor Gyökeres fits the bill as somebody who can do both, and provide a completely.

Of the clubs interested, Gyökeres fits Arsenal the best, due to his ability to drop deep, link up with teammates and create space in behind.

Arsenal this season have been trialling a system whereby Kai Havertz plays as a false 9, creating space for Declan Rice or Martin Ødegaard to exploit.

Viktor Gyökeres heatmap for Sporting CP

When we look at Gyökeres' heatmap from Sofascore.com, we see how involved in play, and how important he is in Sporting CP's system.

Here you can see how Gyökeres drops in between the midfield and defence to pick up the ball.

Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3 system at Sporting CP relies on Gyökeres picking up the ball from deep, passing to the incredibly advanced fullbacks, and then arriving late in the box to receive the cross.

The 25-year-old Swede is one of, if not the most important aspect of how Amorim's team plays.

Gabriel Jesus heatmap for Arsenal

When we look at Gabriel Jesus's heatmap, you can see that he mainly drifts over to the left-hand side to create space for Martinelli to run into.

But oftentimes that leaves the Brazilian too far away from the goal as play advances. And Jesus is not as adept at playmaking as Viktor Gyökeres, having only registered 3-assists all season in a team that is scoring for fun.

Would Gyökeres be a good transfer for Newcastle?

Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson have struggled for fitness this season. It's also been speculated that both Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson may be sold this summer to raise funds for a squad rebuild.

Newcastle are almost certainly in the market for a striker this summer, and have already sent Steve Nickson, head of recruitment at Newcastle United, out to watch Gyökeres this season.

They have the interest, and the funds, but whether or not Gyökeres fits into Eddie Howe's current Newcastle United 4-3-3 system, is another question altogether.

Alexander Isak heatmap for Newcastle United

**Alexander Isak's heatmap for Newcastle 2023-24 season**

Alexander Isak is the least-involved striker out of the clubs interested in Viktor Gyökeres, as Eddie Howe often likes to build up to the wings using intricate patterns of play between the wingers (Miguel Almiron), overlapping fullbacks (Keiran Trippier), and underlapping number 8s (Sean Longstaff).

Unless Eddie Howe changed his system to make the striker more involved in build-up play, instead of a striker who just occupies defenders and finishes moves, it's unlikely that Newcastle would utilise a player of Gyökeres' talents.

Would Gyökeres be a good transfer for Tottenham?

Ange Postecoglou's system at Tottenham could benefit greatly from somebody like Viktor Gyökeres.

Richarlison has only created two big chances so far this season, to Gyökeres 11 big chances created, and only makes on average 0.7 key passes per game, vs. Viktor Gyökeres' 1.8 key passes per 90.

Richarlison's heat map for Tottenham

Not only that Gyökeres is a lot more clinical than Richarlison, albeit they are playing in different leagues of varying quality and different systems. Richarlison converts on average 18% of his chances, vs. Gyökeres' 25%.

Gyökeres could be what Spurs have been missing since Harry Kane departed.

A clinical finisher, a physical forward who can hold up the ball, and a quasi-quarterback who can drop deep and bring other teammates, especially players like Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro, into play.

Where will Gyökeres end up if he does move this summer?

Gyökeres, if he is to leave Sporting CP, is likely to go to a club that can offer Champions League football.

At 25, the Swedish international is coming into his prime, and all signs point towards him being ready to play in Europe's elite competition – which may take Newcastle out of the race.

The Sporting striker will also want to be guaranteed first-team football, as he is rarely injured and is in his prime from a fitness perspective – that may rule Arsenal out, with Arteta likely to rotate Jesus with Gyökeres.

Gyökeres suits Spurs the most and would be guaranteed first-team football under Ange Postecoglou, who does not like to rotate the first XI if it can be helped.

Spurs' interest in signing Gyökeres is genuine, but you would think that they must achieve Champions League qualification to be able to lure the player away from Sporting Lisbon.

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