Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres has been in outstanding form since joining the Portuguese club from Coventry City.
His performances have attracted the attention of Premier League clubs Arsenal and Chelsea. The player has now reacted to links with the big clubs and stated (h/t SportWitness) that he is happy to continue at Sporting CP.
“I think it’s a bit like when Sporting came in to sign me… I’m very happy here and I don’t care about any interested parties at the moment. I’m enjoying every day here and not thinking about what’s going on around me. Yes, there’s talk of big clubs, but for now it’s just news. That’s all. This is where I want to stay.”
The 25-year-old striker has 17 goals and eight assists to his name across all competitions this season and he could prove to be a quality acquisition for both Arsenal and Chelsea. Arsenal already have Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah at their disposal. However, Jesus has not been a prolific goalscorer for them and Nketiah is expected to move on in search of regular playing time.
Arsenal must invest in a quality goalscorer and the Swedish international would be a superb addition. Sporting CP spent €20 million to sign the player last summer but he has a €100 million release clause in his contract right now. The Portuguese outfit are unlikely to sanction his departure for a knockdown price and any club hoping to sign him will have to trigger his exit clause.
Chelsea could use a reliable goalscorer like him as well. The signing of Nicolas Jackson has not solved their goalscoring problems and Gyokeres could prove to be an upgrade on the former La Liga attacker.
The 25-year-old has the potential to develop into a top-class striker with coaching and experience. Joining big clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea would allow him to test himself at a high level. Regular football in the Premier League would accelerate his development as well.
It will be interesting to see if Arsenal and Chelsea decide to test Sporting CP’s resolve with an offer in January. They will certainly hope that the striker changes his stance in the near future and considers a move to the Premier League.
