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There are plenty of household names at the top of the leaderboards in Europe. Superstars like Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, Harry Kane and Mohamed Salah are all pouring in the goals. However, among those names is an attacking Portugal that is making quite a name for itself with Viktor Gyokeres at Sporting. With 23 goals and two assists in all competitions for his club and a further 11 goals and three assists for Sweden, his star is rising almost as fast as he can kick a ball.
While some attackers opt for finesse in their finishing, Gyokeres resembles someone like Kane. He is a player who can absolutely destroy a ball on the way to sending it screaming into the top corner with devastating precision. Although that’s not the only thing he can do. He is far from just a good finisher, which is what makes him so attractive to teams around the world. Gyokeres is quite involved in defensive pressing, while also making sure to involve his teammates in attack as the kind of complete number nine that the modern game has come to demand in recent years.
Brighton discovers the Swedish prospect
However, the form of Gyokeres did not arise overnight. When he started his career, the Swedish striker didn’t even have a nine. Gyokeres emerged as a winger before making the switch from Swedish side Brommapojkarna to Brighton. He would ultimately not actually feature for the Seagulls’ senior side, outside of EFL Cup cameos, but this was the start of a number of loans, ranging from St. Pauli in Germany to Swansea City. One move in particular made him really start to show his potential.
Gyokeres is developing in the championship
At Coventry City, Gyokeres helped the Sky Blues to a play-off spot in the English Championship, scoring 41 goals and assisting a further 17 in just over two seasons. Playing as a nine and on the wing, that was when Gyokeres started to attract attention. Succeeding in the Championship can be a litmus test for young strikers as not only is it a physical competition, but with the league often playing matches twice a week, that hectic schedule can prepare a player for European play.
Stardom in Portugal
Sporting was the team that ultimately became the next step for Gyokeres and he has fit into the team like a glove, rising alongside his manager Ruben Amorim. While Amorim He may now be at Manchester UnitedGyokeres still has a challenge ahead of them to defend a Portuguese league title while continuing their good run in the Champions League.
After his five goals, Sporting are well on their way to progressing past the competitive stages of the Champions League, where he can continue to rise, potentially increasing transfer interest in him. He is already one of the top strikers that teams are interested in, alongside Victor Osimhen, who is on loan from Napoli to Galatasaray.
Can he be a success if he moves to the top flight?
Looking at the market, it’s hard for Darwin Nunez not to think about Gyokere’s fitness at the next level. Both were prolific strikers in Portugal who straddled the line between a true striker and an attacking winger. And while they are different players, their numbers in the European game are similar.
The system Gyokeres plays in has made him a more consistent chance creator than Nunez, but both players have exceeded their xG in the Champions League. For Benfica, Nunez scored 11 goals from an expected goals total of 7.10 in European play for Benfica. When he moved to Liverpool, those numbers took a step back, but he is still quite productive, scoring ten goals from an xG of 13.34 and is finding his feet under Arne Slot this season while Diogo Jota is injured.
Gyokeres’ numbers aren’t as gaudy as Nunez’s with ten goals from an xG of 8.96, but that also means he’s not as likely to decline. Age also plays a role, as Gyokeres is 26 and entering the prime of his career, while Nunez was only 23 when he made the move to Anfield. The age and experience of leading his team to silverware and gradual improvement will prove beneficial when Gyokeres eventually makes a move.
Before that happens, his eyes will be focused on ending the season well at Sporting. We are already on the right track and a lot of effort has gone into making Gyokeres who he is, which is one of the most effective strikers in the world.