Viktor Gyokeres has now taken his Sporting Lisbon tally to 30 for the season as Premier League giants Newcastle United keep tabs on the former Coventry City talisman.
If Eddie Howe had a goalscorer of Viktor Gyokeres’ talents at his disposal, Newcastle United surely would not have needed a penalty shoot-out to break through Blackburn Rovers’ resistance on Tuesday night.
Yes, John Eustace’s plucky underdogs were exceptional on the night. But had Harvey Barnes, Sean Longstaff, Anthony Gordon or Bruno Guimaraes brought their shooting boots to Lancashire, Newcastle may have reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with a lot less fuss.
Newcastle United scout Viktor Gyokeres
The Magpies certainly haven’t struggled for goals of late. They scored four against Luton and three each against Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in the last few weeks, with their issues at the other end of the pitch.
But with Alexander Isak’s injury issues restricting his involvement and a now-32-year-old Callum Wilson also enduring time on the sidelines, a top centre-forward may be high on Newcastle’s summer wishlist. Financial Fair Play allowing, of course.
HITC Football understands that Newcastle sent scouts to watch Gyokeres in action for Sporting Lisbon at the start of January. Nearly two months on, the powerhouse Swede has now reached the 30-goal barrier for the first time in his career. A tally which looks even more eye-catching when you consider that Gyokeres – who joined for a bargain £20 million from Coventry City – has reached such a number in just 33 appearances for the Portuguese giants.
30 goals in just 33 Sporting Lisbon games
“Gyokeres, I didn’t know him. I think it’s a great job from Sporting’s scouting team,” former Los Leoas coach Jorge Jesus tells Sport TV, likening the former Brighton youngster‘s impact to that of Darwin Nunez at Benfica.
“I didn’t know him and, apparently, in England, no one saw him either! It reminds me of when Benfica went to get Darwin from the Spanish second division, from Almeria.”
Nunez spent two years in Lisbon before Liverpool snapped him up, Benfica earning a colossal profit along the way. Capital city neighbours Sporting can expect quite a windfall themselves, though it remains to be seen if those FFP concerns prevent Newcastle’s deep-pocketed owners from triggering the £86 million release clause in Gyokeres’ contract.
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