One reported summer transfer target for Liverpool has claimed that his club’s lofty valuation of him priced suitors out of a move for him.
In August, it was reported that the Reds had ‘made checks’ on Viktor Gyokeres after a phenomenal 2023/24 season for Sporting Lisbon, but in the end they didn’t fork out to meet his €100m (£84.3m) release clause.
Speaking to Afton Bladet, the Sweden striker admitted that he finds his club’s asking price to be excessive, but he respects their right to value him at what they believe he’s worth and insists that he’s happy in the Portuguese capital.
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The 26-year-old said: “They [Sporting] wanted most of the starting players to stay and held us tight. That’s how it turned out, but I enjoy Sporting very much, so for me it was no problem to stay.
“Of course you want to play at the highest level. It [release clause] was probably a bit too much because nothing came of it. Of course it’s a lot of money, but we’ll see what happens next window…
“Nothing happened and it feels like I had a pretty good season, so yes, that’s probably why there was simply no move. But that’s what Sporting thinks I’m worth, and then you have to respect that.
“I enjoy myself very much in Sporting and can’t complain about anything, so it’s absolutely no problem for me to stay. Of course, you aim to test other leagues and a higher level, but I have no stress.”
After an incredible season in which he netted 43 times in all competitions, it came as no surprise that transfer interest in Gyokeres was so abundant in the summer, or that Sporting slapped such a lofty price tag on him.
He’s picked up where he left off, too, with seven goals in four matches already at the start of the current campaign, taking him to 50 in just over a year for his club.
If the Swede continues that phenomenal scoring rate, it’s surely only a matter of time before a gargantuan offer is made that the powerbrokers at the Estadio Jose Alvalade can no longer ignore.
Whether or not it’s Liverpool who eventually prise him from Lisbon is another matter, with Arne Slot already boasting a wealth of top-class attacking options at Anfield.
Maybe if one of our current centre-forwards were to leave in the foreseeable future for whatever reason, the Reds would then push the boat out to sign Gyokeres.
Unless the former scenario materialises, we don’t envisage a big-money approach from LFC, but it’d certainly make sense to keep tabs on a striker who’s been as remarkably prolific as the 26-year-old.
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