Viktor Gyökeres should be considered Europe’s next elite-level striker

Perhaps it is because he plays in one of Europe’s “lesser” leagues, but Viktor Gyökeres does not receive the adulation he so richly deserves. With strikers making moves across the continent over the summer, Dominic Solanke, Joshua Zirkzee, Ivan Toney and Julián Alvarez either remaining in, moving to, or departing England, the Swede continues to ply his trade at Sporting.

Gyökeres was pivotal in Sporting’s title triumph, and the Portuguese powerhouse have proved steadfast in their desire to retain the 26-year-old’s services. “Any player only leaves through the clause,” the Sporting boss Rúben Amorim said late last year as rumours of a potential move to England began to gather momentum. That release clause is set at a cool £85m. Interested parties will certainly think twice before paying that sum.

But if the first 18 months of his career in Portugal is anything to go by, that will quickly look like a relative steal in the modern market. Sporting have made a sprint start to their title defence. After four games, they sit top of the Primeira Liga with 12 points to their name, which includes a 2-0 home triumph over title rivals Porto. The club’s 16 goals scored are far and away the most in the league, of which Gyökeres has been directly involved in eight, scoring seven.

Gyökeres thrived during his final season in England at Coventry City, helping them come so close to promotion back to the top tier. Of course, there are the understandable concerns that playing outside one of Europe’s more recognisable divisions will perhaps put potential interested parties off, but recent evidence suggests he would shine with one of Europe’s elite sides. Indeed, returns of 36 goals and 11 assists lend credence to the argument he is now more a big fish in a small pond.

What is scary is that both returns could feasibly be higher. Gyökeres ranks top in the league for shots (140) and seventh for key passes (63) since the start of the season and it is only his teammates’ profligacy that means his assist haul is not higher. However, there is more to Gyökeres’ game than just putting the ball in the back of the net and creating for others, admittedly two key attributes for any striker.

Over the same period, only Rafik Guitane (111) has completed more dribbles than the Sweden international (77), who ranks top for possession won in the attacking third (49). With the greater onus on strikers nowadays to do a bit of everything on and off the ball, helping peg defences back and forcing turnovers in the final third, Gyökeres is not just a jack of all trades striker; he has mastered them, and more. “He’s a very important player for us,” Amorim said of his star striker back in April, that an understatement in itself.

While Sporting stand to make a hefty profit on Gyökeres when the time comes to sell, they would doubtless miss their one-man attacking outlet. Of course, the Portuguese side would have contingencies in place to ease the Swede’s exit, but few, if any, would offer the same consistency in front of goal combined with his incredibly high work rate.

So for Gyökeres to have Premier League admirers should not come as a surprise. Chelsea have previously been linked with a move, while Arsenal are another said to have courted the striker. Liverpool and Tottenham have also been credited with an interest, and evidently for good reason. Not only does the player himself have the fine goal record to reinforce the intrigue in his services but the style of play suits the rigours of English football.

And if his exploits over the international break are anything to go by, Gyökeres is one who can shine as a lone frontman or with a strike partner. The Swede scored three times and registered two assists in Nations League wins over Azerbaijan and Estonia, doing so when partnered with Newcastle’s Alexander Isak. The positional flexibility to his game combined with his output on the frontline for club and country means Gyökeres should be considered Europe’s next elite-level striker.

Gyökeres may not be as prolific as Erling Haaland, or be a household name in the same vein as Victor Osimhen, but that should not hold the forward back from establishing himself as one of the best on the continent. After all, he settled into Portuguese football with ease, and he should not have any problems from transferring his flying form in Portugal to one of Europe’s powerhouse sides. Rather, suitors would see their striker issues resolved were they to land a player of Gyökeres’ calibre and skill set.