Rio Ferdinand believes Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres will be “licking his lips” at the chance to join Ruben Amorim at Manchester United.
Gyokeres has been heavily linked with a reunion with former boss Amorim at Old Trafford, and Ferdinand weighed in on the rumours on Tuesday evening.
In the 46-year-old’s opinion, the thought of playing under Amorim again – the man who helped him become one of Europe’s premier strikers – would appeal greatly to the Sweden international.
Gyokeres is in the form of his life, having scored 24 goals in all competitions for Sporting already this season.
His talent was on full display in his side’s stunning 4-1 win over Manchester City at the start of the month, in which he scored a hat-trick, and he followed that up by scoring four goals for Sweden against Azerbaijan in the international break.
It’s no surprise, then, that Ferdinand would like to see the 26-year-old playing for his former club.
“I wouldn’t put him in the top bracket yet because he hasn’t done it in a top league,” Ferdinand said on TNT Sports.
“With all due respect to the Portuguese league, it is a very good league, but it’s not one of the top leagues.
“If he signs for a team in the Premier League, he’ll be having to prove who he is.
“He’ll have to reshape himself and say ‘this is me’, presenting himself to everybody under that spotlight and then going ‘right, this is who I am.’”
Excitement For Gyokeres
Ferdinand also believes Gyokeres would be excited at the opportunity to join United, where he will become the “star” of Amorim’s rebuild.
“If he wants to win, he goes to Manchester United… no, I’m joking!
“The key point is that he knows the manager,” the former centre-back added.
“For a transition into another league, to go with somebody that knows your game perfectly and will actually be able to get the best out of you – he’s proved he can do that somewhere else.
“And you’re going to go somewhere where he’s rebuilding, and you can be the star of that process with him.
“I think he’ll be licking his lips at something like that.”
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However, Arsenal managed to keep Gyokeres off the scoresheet as the Portuguese side were thumped 5-1 by the Gunners on Tuesday – with the striker forced to watch Gabriel Magalhaes mimic his signature celebration.
Also, he’ll hope to be among the goals again in Saturday’s home game against Santa Clara.
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