Viktor Gyökeres has reportedly made an initial decision on where he wants to be playing football next season, as one of Manchester United’s transfer rivals are flat-out rejected.
Manchester United are set to overhaul their attacking options this summer after a disappointing 2024/25 season that saw them finish 15th in the Premier League, with a lack of goals proving to be a major weakness.
Bruno Fernandes ended the campaign as the club’s leading scorer with 19 goals, while Alejandro Garnacho and Amad both scored 11. Rasmus Højlund added 10, and no other player reached double figures across all competitions.
United have already agreed to sign Matheus Cunha from Wolves, and there is growing belief that a deal for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo is close to completion.
Despite these moves, the club are still targeting a new central striker. Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyökeres is a player they hold in high regard, having scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for the Portuguese side, with 66 of those coming in just 68 games under Rúben Amorim.
Gyökeres has flat-out rejected Juventus
United are not the only club interested in signing the Swede this summer, with Arsenal providing significant competition for the striker and Juventus also pushing for him.
However, a fresh report from TBR Football has stated that Gyökeres has now made the decision that he wants to be playing in the Premier League next season, flat-out rejecting the chance to move to the Serie A this summer.
“Speaking to sources, Gyokeres is convinced that he is moving this summer and he believes he will be in England – not that he has ruled out other countries, it is just where he believes he will be playing,” transfer specialist Graeme Bailey explained to TBR Football.
“He did make it clear from the start that a deal with Saudi Arabia’s Pro League was not a consideration, despite them making an approach this month.
“Arsenal and Man United are in constant contact, the lines of communication with those two clubs has been ongoing for months.
“The player’s representatives are working hard on his future, but there is no deadline here – it could be this month, but likely July, I am told, before something is agreed, but there is no panic. They are calm.”
Gyökeres is becoming United’s major headache this summer
In the past few summer transfer windows, there has always been one major headache that the club have had to endure.
In 2022, it was Frenkie de Jong. In 2023, it was Harry Kane. In 2024, it was Manuel Ugarte. Although United managed to secure Ugarte in the end, the club spent a whole summer chasing the other two, only to find themselves left empty-handed.
This summer, it so far seems as if Gyökeres is the name that will cause United more concern than any other transfer. Bringing in Cunha and likely Mbeumo has been made easy because both players have made their preference for United clear.
But, with the 27-year-old Swedish internationa, he has been hesitant to commit his future to any specific club in England, with United’s lack of Champions League football throwing a spanner in the works.
“For Man United, we have to see financially how they can make it happen, because with Champions League football, I’m 99% convinced that they were going to close the Gyökeres deal quite quick,” transfer expert Fabrizio Romano explained earlier this week. “I think that was the feeling.”
“Then, no Champions League football, they lost the [Europa League] final in Bilbao, and so it’s more complicated financially. But, for Viktor Gyökeres, Man United called again, so let’s see if they will be able to make it happen, but there were new contacts with the agents of the player.”
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