There are many well-known names at the top of Europe’s scoring charts. Superstars like Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, Harry Kane and Mohamed Salah are scoring goals. Among those names, however, is an offensive Portugal that is making a name for itself in the figure of Viktor Gyokeres with Sporting. With 23 goals and two assists in all competitions for his club and a further 11 goals and three assists for Sweden, their star is rising almost as fast as he can kick a ball.
While some forwards opt for finesse in their finishing, Gyokeres is similar to someone like Kane, 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 all it 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 the defensive pressure, while also making sure to involve his teammates in the attack as the type of complete nine that the modern game has begun to demand in recent years.
Brighton discovers the Swedish perspective
However, Gyokeres’ form did not emerge overnight. When he started his career, the Swedish striker wasn’t even a number nine. Gyokeres emerged as a winger before moving from Brommapojkarna in Sweden to Brighton. He wouldn’t end up making any real appearances for the Seagulls’ senior team outside of EFL Cup cameos, but this began a series of loans stretching from St. Pauli in Germany to Swansea City. One move in particular really saw him start to show his potential.
Gyokeres takes place in the Championship
At Coventry City, Gyokeres helped the Sky Blues fight for a place in the English Championship playoffs, scoring 41 goals and assisting 17 more in just over two seasons. Playing as a nine and on the wing, it was then that Gyokeres began to attract attention. Succeeding in the Championship can be a litmus test for young forwards because not only is it a physical league, but because the league often plays matches twice a week, that hectic schedule can prepare a player for the European game.
Stardom in Portugal
Sporting was the team that ended up becoming Gyokeres’ next step and he fit into the team like a glove, rising alongside his coach Rubén Amorim. While Amorim may now be at Manchester United, Gyokeres still has the challenge ahead of him to defend a Portuguese League title while continuing his good run in the Champions League.
Behind his five goals, Sporting are on course to advance beyond the league stage of the Champions League, where they can continue to rise, possibly increasing interest in their transfers. He is already one of the main forwards that teams are interested in, along with Victor Osimhen, on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli.
Can he be successful if he moves to a higher league?
When considering the market, it’s hard for Darwin Núñez not to think about Gyokere’s fit at the next level; Both were prolific attackers in Portugal who were somewhere between absolute forward and attacking winger. And although they are different players, their numbers in the European game are similar.
Due to the system Gyokeres plays in, he has been a more consistent chance creator than Núñez, but both players have outperformed their xG in the Champions League. For Benfica, Núñez scored 11 goals out of an expected total of 7.10 in European matches for Benfica. Upon moving to Liverpool, those numbers took a step back, but he has still been quite productive scoring 10 goals with 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 eye-catching as Núñez’s with 10 goals from an xG of 8.96, but that also means he’s not as likely to be able to regress. Age also comes into play, as Gyokeres is 26 and entering the prime of his career, while Núñez was just 23 when he moved to Anfield. The age and experience of leading his team to titles and gradual improvement will prove beneficial when Gyokeres finally makes a move.
Before, his sights will be on finishing the season well with Sporting. Already on the right path, many things have been invested to make Gyokeres who he is and one of the most effective forwards in the world.
