Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres continues to be linked with Man United.
(Image: Diogo Cardoso/Getty Images)

'End of the season' - What Ruben Amorim has said about Viktor Gyokeres to Man United transfer

by · Manchester Evening News

Viktor Gyokeres' future at Sporting CP was under the spotlight this summer but he has now become the firm focus of more speculation following the departure of his former manager Ruben Amorim.

After Erik ten Hag was sacked by Ineos, the Manchester United boardroom made the quick decision to hire Amorim as his replacement. As part of that deal, United agreed to a delayed arrival in Manchester with the Portuguese head coach starting this Monday.

Considering United's lack of goals over recent years, all eyes have turned to Gyokeres, and whether he would be a target for United under new leadership. Amorim was the man who signed the Swede from Coventry City for £20m, and has overseen his incredible development since.

READ MORE: Gyokeres to United latest amid ongoing Sporting speculation

READ MORE: Ten Hag complaint has already told Amorim his first challenge

In just 68 appearances, Gyokeres has 66 goals to his name in Portugal and such figures are hard to ignore. When quizzed on the topic, the 26-year-old has often played a flat-bat, failing to be drawn into hypothetical scenarios.

Amorim, on the other hand, has spoken a little more openly and The Manchester Evening News has taken a closer look at what the new United head coach has said about, potentially, bringing the striker to Old Trafford;

Sporting promise

After the news broke that Amorim had agreed to take over at United, the 39-year-old was quick to point out that he would not be looking to raid his old team in the transfer market straightaway. "I won't [sign Sporting players] in January, that's what I said," he insisted.

"I don't know about the summer. The first point is to hold on until the summer.

"Sporting's players are very good players, I don't know, we'll see. I know the phenomenon of football. especially in England, and I know how things change.

"I can talk about [Mikel] Arteta, [Ange] Postecoglou, how things went well, how they went badly. What will dictate is how the first game goes, with a win or not. Then we'll see."

Gyokeres message

After the striker hit a hat-trick against Manchester City in the Champions League, Amorim was asked whether he would be brought to Old Trafford. "I've just made peace with the Sporting fans, I'm not even going to make a joke about it," he replied.

"Gyokeres is a Sporting player, which is a great club, he did a lot for it, he was in the second division, he just has to stay and finish the season. No, no, no. I cannot be funny with that in this moment.

"It was tough for me to leave, if I start joking about that with Gyokeres, I'll have problems. This is my city, this is my country, and I will [show] respect.

"Viktor has to stay until the end of the season and then his life is going, maybe, somewhere else."

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