Man United will immediately discover if they have made correct Viktor Gyokeres decision

Arsenal will imminently be announcing the signing of Viktor Gyokeres and Manchester United may be about to look on enviously.

Since November last year, Manchester United have been heavily linked with a swoop for now soon-to-be former Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres.

Those links made 100 per cent sense considering his sensational goal-scoring record, his positive relationship with Ruben Amorim and also an insistence on leaving Portugal during the summer transfer window. After respectfully holding off on raiding his old club in January, there were many who expected Amorim to inform United’s recruiting team to target the 26-cap Sweden international this summer.

However, any formal interest never managed to materialise. Instead, Arsenal have firmly led the way in the transfer window and are now on the verge of completing a deal.

Our colleagues at football.london understand a verbal agreement between the Gunners, Sporting and Gyokeres has been made which will see the striker move to the Emirates Stadium for £55million plus £8.7m in add-ons. Considering he scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for the Lisbon club, that fee seems to be rather inexpensive.

United’s lack of real intent to sign Gyokeres could stem from a number of places. Firstly, there seemed to be a prioritisation to sort their No.10 position out first after Liam Delap chose Chelsea over them.

That has now been completed after Bryan Mbeumo and, earlier, Matheus Cunha signed. Secondly, there was an acceptance that Champions League football was a major priority for Gyokeres, and the inability to offer him that after the Europa League final placed United at a disadvantage.

Finally, United needed to sell their quartet of wantaway wingers before they could think about bidding for a centre-forward and, as of yet, only Marcus Rashford looks close to the exit door – and even that deal is a loan. Ultimately, United will find out immediately if they chose the right path.

On Sunday, August 17, Amorim shall welcome his one-time talisman to Old Trafford for the opening game of the Premier League season as United take on Arsenal. In those 90 minutes, it will become clear if the Reds made the right choice or not and it won’t be determined by whether or not Gyokeres plays well.

Instead, it shall be determined by whether or not United have a new centre-forward of their own lined up to play opposite him. If they don’t, there will be questions asked, as to why they did not consider Gyokeres to be a player worth bidding for.

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