Aston Villa given ‘green light’ in race for ‘world class’ striker wanted by Man United
Aston Villa Receive Significant Boost in Chase for Viktor Gyokeres Amid Transfer Tug-of-War
Aston Villa may have been handed a major advantage in their reported pursuit of Sporting Lisbon’s star striker Viktor Gyokeres, according to recent reports. The Swedish international has been in scintillating form since leaving Coventry City for the Portuguese giants in 2023, finding the back of the net an astonishing 83 times in just 89 appearances across all competitions.
His prolific scoring record has naturally caught the eye of numerous top European clubs, with Manchester United previously believed to be leading the race for his signature. Red Devils manager-in-waiting, Ruben Amorim, who worked closely with Gyokeres at Sporting, was rumoured to be eager to reunite with the 27-year-old forward as part of his planned overhaul at Old Trafford.
However, fresh developments suggest the landscape around Gyokeres’ future may be shifting — and it could work in Aston Villa’s favour. Unai Emery is reportedly now keen to bring the striker to Villa Park as a long-term replacement for Jhon Durán, who left the club for a big-money move to Saudi Arabia during the January transfer window.
According to Give Me Sport, Villa might now have a subtle but potentially decisive edge in any negotiations thanks to the club’s recent recruitment of Chris Badlan — a key figure in Gyokeres’ career trajectory. Badlan, who served as Coventry City’s Head of Recruitment for nearly five years, played an instrumental role in identifying and bringing the Swedish striker to the Championship side back in 2021. At the time, Gyokeres was struggling to find his feet after underwhelming stints at Swansea City and Brighton & Hove Albion, but Badlan saw untapped potential and convinced Coventry boss Mark Robins to take a chance.
That gamble paid off in dramatic fashion. Gyokeres went on to become one of the Championship’s most lethal forwards, finishing his final season at Coventry with 22 goals and almost single-handedly firing the team to the brink of Premier League promotion — only to fall short in a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Luton Town in the Play-Off Final.
While Aston Villa are still considered outsiders in the race to land Gyokeres, the renewed connection through Badlan may enhance their credibility in the eyes of the player and his representatives. However, there remains the significant hurdle of meeting Sporting’s reported €100 million (£84 million) asking price — a figure tied to a so-called “gentleman’s agreement” that would allow Gyokeres to leave the Estádio José Alvalade if certain conditions are met.
Villa’s ambitions are further complicated by the looming spectre of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), which could restrict their ability to spend freely without first generating significant income from player sales. As things stand, it’s believed that Villa would need to offload at least one high-value asset to free up the funds required to make a serious move for Gyokeres.
Several current Villa stars — including Jacob Ramsey, Morgan Rogers, Leon Bailey, and World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez — have been linked with potential exits, as interest in their services grows across Europe and beyond. Should one of these names depart for a sizeable fee, the door could open for Villa to make their move.
Though the odds remain long and finances tight, the unpredictable nature of football leaves room for surprises. Landing Gyokeres would represent a major statement of intent for Unai Emery’s side as they prepare for a Champions League campaign. It may seem unlikely — but in football, stranger things have certainly happened.