Viktor Gyökeres’ future has become abundantly clear as a leaked voice note from a Man City chief has shown Manchester United the path he will most likely take.
Manchester United are looking to rebuild their frontline this summer after a disappointing 2024/25 campaign that saw them finish 15th in the Premier League, with a lack of goals playing a major role in their struggles.
Bruno Fernandes finished as the club’s top scorer with 19 goals, followed by Alejandro Garnacho and Amad with 11 each. Rasmus Højlund added 10, while no other player managed to hit double figures across all competitions.
United have already completed the £62.5 million signing of Matheus Cunha and are hopeful of landing Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, though Tottenham are making a late push to hijack the deal for the Cameroon international.
The search for a central striker also continues. Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyökeres had been a priority target, but with the Swedish forward now leaning towards a move to Arsenal, United have turned their focus to alternative options in the market.
Leaked voice note makes Gyökeres’ future clear
The saga surrounding Gyökeres has been a stunning watch, with public statements and agent claims flying across Europe as the Swede’s representative tries to force Sporting to demand a reasonable fee for the striker.
Throughout last season, reports emerged that Sporting had agreed to sell the player for £51 million, plus a further £8.5 million in bonuses. However, the club’s president, Federico Varandas, vehemently denied this in a public statement earlier this month.
Gyökeres’ agent then came out to claim that he had proof of the agreement, which the Portuguese outlet Record has now revealed to be a voice note from former Sporting chief Hugo Viana, now at Manchester City, agreeing to sell the striker for the above fee.
Although Arsenal had initially distanced themselves from a move for Gyökeres after it appeared that Sporting might demand upwards of £65 million, if his fee returns to the initially quoted £51 million plus add-ons, the London club will likely return to the table.
United are already looking elsewhere for strikers
United are having to watch on as the Gyökeres saga unfolds, with the player having made it clear that he would rather sign for Arsenal. Amorim’s club are also already moving on to other targets.
There have been several reports detailing United’s interest in Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitite, although conflicting reports about his price tag range from £60 million to £85 million, which is likely more than United could afford.
They have also been recently linked with 24-year-old Genk striker Tolu Arokodare, who would be available for around £20 million this summer and could be a cheaper option for United to then allocate funds toward signing a midfielder instead.
With Cunha through the door and Mbeumo hopefully following, the need for United to sign an elite-level goalscoring centre-forward has become less of a priority, meaning the club can afford to be more flexible in the market.
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