Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray believes there are shades of Erling Haaland in Viktor Gyokeres as Premier League duo Leeds United and Everton eye the Coventry City striker, speaking to the Northern Echo.
The similarities between the Sky Blues talisman and arguably the most feared centre-forward in world football are not limited at their Scandinavian roots.
Gyokeres, like Haaland, has a habit of looking like a man against boys at times; shrugging off defenders while plundering goals almost through sheer force of will. A mighty combination of juggernaut power, Olympic sprinter speed and no shortage of poise or finesse.
Leeds United and Everton like Coventry City talisman Viktor Gyokeres
“He looks a yard more powerful and a yard quicker than everyone else. He’s a really confident boy,” Mowbray says after his Sunderland side found themselves on the wrong end of another Gyokeres masterclass Saturday; the Sweden international scoring one and setting up the other in a 2-1 win.
“I don’t want to say he should test himself in the Premier League. But who is like him in the Premier League at the moment?
“Who is too fast, too strong and too big? You would suggest Haaland is like that. And Gyokeres, in this league, looks a yard faster and stronger than the players he plays against in the Championship.
“The way he buys himself space to shoot is pretty impressive. Coventry did well to hold onto him, he looks a really talented boy.”
According to Give Me Sport reporter Dean Jones, Sean Dyche is backing Everton’s pursuit of the £25 million-rated Gyokeres. Leeds, meanwhile, are making the former Swansea City youngster one of their top summer targets (TEAMtalk), though Gyokeres would likely move out of reach if either club ends up joining Coventry in the Championship.
“(Coventry) have got one of the best strikers in the league. You can feel his threat on the transition,” Mowbray adds. “If we had Gyokeres in our team, we would have won comfortably.
“And that’s not knocking Joe (Gelhardt, on loan from Leeds), who’s a boy.”
Gyokeres has 16 goals in 34 games this season. He is just two away from matching his tally from the whole of 2021/22.
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