Behind the masks: How Viktor Gyökeres grew to become Europe’s most-wanted striker
Viktor Gyökeres has gone from Championship flop to one in all Europe’s most in-form strikers within the area of simply three years.
The Sporting CP ahead has outscored Manchester City‘s Erling Haaland this season to proceed a devastating run of kind that makes a big-money switch both in January or subsequent summer season a close to certainty, with a number of Premier League golf equipment amongst these casting admiring glances on the 26-year-old. It’s all a far cry from January 2021, when a dismal mortgage spell at Swansea City was lower brief for a striker on Brighton & Hove Albion‘s books not but thought-about prepared for first-team motion. Even those that saved religion are stunned at Gyökeres’ gorgeous transformation.
Chris Badlan, now head of recruitment at Scottish membership Aberdeen, held an analogous place at Coventry City when Gyökeres arrived.
“I all the time thought Viktor was a Premier League striker, however did I see him being in comparison with Haaland? No, and never many individuals would,” Badlan advised ESPN. “However did I feel he’d rating targets once I noticed he’d signed for Sporting Lisbon? Sure, 100%.
“The attributes he is bought, all of us knew he’d be an excellent striker. To get to the extent he is bought to, it’s important to have a little bit of luck like everyone, however you continue to must have that mentality. Viktor has all the time wished to be the perfect participant he could possibly be, and he is gone and performed that.”
Rising up in Sweden
Gyökeres joined Swedish membership Brommapojkarna aged 16 and started work on changing from a winger to a centre-forward. “While everyone else had regular coaching, I used to be coaching on my own on the opposite facet of the pitch honing one thing so fundamental,” Gyökeres stated earlier this month. “It was extremely powerful, however it took me to the following degree.”
Brommapojkarna scout David Eklund tells ESPN: “We noticed that he had the skills to be a No. 9 together with his energy and breakthrough capability and began to deal with these talents. He grew lots and began to supply targets an increasing number of frequently.”
Eighteen purpose involvements in a breakthrough season adopted, and the story of his last weeks at Brommapojkarna is the stuff of fairy tales.
“Two weeks earlier than his last recreation we had secured promotion to Allsvenskan [Sweden’s top tier] and all of us knew that Viktor had been leaving for Brighton after the season,” Eklund stated. “Within the last recreation we had our sights on profitable the league, and Viktor additionally had an inner battle for being our prime purpose scorer, tied with Kevin Kabran. After scoring a hat trick, he was subbed off and all the stadium stood up for him, in addition to the gamers and employees on the bench.
“[It was] one of many nice highlights in our historical past.”
His transfer to Brighton in 2018 appeared to sign a big step ahead, however his upward trajectory rapidly flatlined.
Gyökeres technical evaluation (by Tor-Kristian Karlsen)
Gyökeres already attracted the eye of an unlimited variety of European elite golf equipment when breaking via as a teen at Brommapojkarna within the mid-2010s. His performances there and for Sweden youth sides earned him the “wonderkid” tag, and he was thought-about the nation’s largest attacking expertise since Zlatan Ibrahimović.
Now scoring targets for enjoyable at Sporting, he’s lastly delivering on that early promise.
Whereas sharp ending abilities have all the time been part of his recreation, regardless of periodically failing to make use of them persistently, the 26-year-old has refined these talents to perfection. Whether or not because of added maturity or detailed teaching work by Ruben Amorim and his group in Portugal, he is now able to scoring from a variety and a wide range of means.
Maybe what makes him so prolific is his fast execution approach. When in possession of the ball within the field, Gyökeres is superb at mapping out the quick surrounding space and can discover goal both on the primary contact with the ball or after minimal adjusting touches. He not often dithers or over-elaborates in entrance of purpose. Although right-footed, he is change into extremely able to ending together with his left — via energy and selecting his spot — or often by means of wonderful heading approach.
It would not matter if service comes from huge or central positions; he’s extraordinarily good at anticipating the motion patterns of the defenders (i.e. the place they’re heading). He frequently arrives on the blind facet for a one-touch end, typically on the again put up or from cutbacks. But what makes Gyökeres much more fascinating for the elite golf equipment is how he conducts himself when venturing huge or into deeper areas. He could be a traditional poacher in entrance of purpose, however he additionally has the long-distance tempo, ball-carrying abilities and acceleration to trigger actual havoc in transitional play.
One comparatively new technical element is his functionality to deceive his marker when positioning himself huge, particularly left. When being performed into, he typically makes use of a decoy step or two towards the ball to make his opponent assume he is about to regulate the ball, inviting them to shut him down or deal with. As an alternative, he’ll spin on the half-turn with out taking a contact, pulling the opponent away from the ball and leaving them behind, turning his physique to face purpose and darting towards the field within the course of. This element in not solely a function normally aware of nimble wingers, however it additionally illustrates how rapidly he positive factors tempo for a standing place, his intelligence and a powerful command of his physique (which mustn’t be taken without any consideration in a 6-foot-2 centre-forward).
Past the mere technical and tactical facets, Gyökeres performs with actual confidence. Scoring targets makes for a virtuous circle, after all, however his immense self-belief can also be probably a product of Amorim’s motivational abilities and unwavering belief within the participant. Together with his confidence ranges proper now there may be an additional degree of power to his play: the primary contact is extra assured plus his audacious flicks and fast one-twos have a tendency to return off, too.
England transfer has ups and downs
Gyökeres is considered by many because the one who bought away for Brighton given the fast acceleration in his improvement of late, however he’s additionally by definition one thing of a victory for his or her recruitment mannequin that they recognized him within the first place. Brighton have developed a popularity as among the finest identifiers of obscure expertise via a data-led analytics mannequin shrouded in secrecy and the brainchild of proprietor, Tony Bloom.
A supply at Brighton with information of the scenario advised ESPN that Gyökeres began moderately nicely within the under-23s setup, however the membership determined a mortgage pathway was the most suitable choice for his improvement. Gyökeres spent the 2019-20 season at German membership St. Pauli, the place he scored seven targets in 28 video games, typically deployed out on the left wing.
One other supply advised ESPN that Brighton then most well-liked a second mortgage transfer, this time to a membership within the English league the place they might higher gauge his capability, however the ensuing six-month interval at Swansea that adopted was an enormous disappointment. One supply linked to Swansea advised ESPN that Gyökeres “seemed misplaced” at instances, one thing underlined by a document of only one purpose in 12 throughout all competitions. That solitary strike got here in an FA Cup third-round recreation at Stevenage.
By the point he returned to Brighton in January 2021, Gyökeres was at a crossroads. Sources have advised ESPN that Gyökeres had an choice to return to Germany, however he selected to affix Coventry.
“Viktor is somebody me and my chief scout on the time, Stuart Benthom, knew about when he was enjoying out in Sweden,” Badlan tells ESPN. “As a scout, it’s essential to know who the perfect 16/17-year-olds are who’re enjoying on the continent. Brighton had signed him so we adopted him of their U23s, he then went to St. Pauli and we simply saved monitoring him such as you all the time do.
“We had an curiosity in [central defender] Leo Ostigard on the similar time, so it type of helped that after we watching Leo at St. Pauli, Viktor was there.”
Ostigard joined Coventry in August 2020 and helped persuade his good friend Gyökeres to take a step right down to the second tier of English soccer a couple of months later, initially on a six-month mortgage.
“He was clearly very annoyed with what occurred at Swansea,” Badlan says. “Brighton had been trying to get him on a brand new contract however I knew Viktor’s agent on the time nicely, having performed offers with him at Norwich, after which we had two or three centre-forwards injured on the similar time so we might present him the chance. All of it married up as a result of he wished to play and we would have liked a striker right away.”
Though Gyökeres began slowly, the summer season of 2021 (when he turned 23) is taken into account a pivotal second in his profession. He spent the vacations working laborious on his conditioning, returning for the 2021-22 preseason a unique participant.
“Viktor’s largest energy is his mentality,” Badlan says. “When he decides he will do one thing, he is the kind that may do it. He went away that summer season virtually as a person on a mission.
“He did not know the place his future can be at Brighton, we wished to signal him however possibly he thought he might get one thing else — and whereas his agent did the work he wanted, Viktor’s focus was ‘proper, wherever I find yourself, I will make this all about me.’
“He labored on his strengths. He was already a robust runner however swiftly his shoulders, he bought a bit extra sq., stronger in his core. It enabled him to roll defenders higher. His mentality is ridiculous.”
Coventry ultimately seized on the chance to signal him completely in the summertime of 2021 for a price of round £1 million. Brighton had supplied a brand new deal however the pathway to the primary group was blocked by what they felt on the time had been higher choices together with Neal Maupay and Danny Welbeck.
Coventry deserve credit score for the technical evolution in his recreation beneath former Manchester United striker Mark Robins, who departed the membership earlier this month. The positional ambiguity appeared to be a metaphor for the dearth of route in his profession — Brommapojkarna declare to have made him extra of a centre-forward however Gyökeres would both begin or naturally drift out to the left throughout these mortgage spells away from Brighton.
Lastly and unequivocally, Gyökeres was transformed from a left-sided ahead to an out-and-out No. 9.
“With Mark Robins and Adi [Viveash, assistant manager], they polished the tough diamond that he was,” Badlan says. “They simplified his recreation. They labored with him in figuring out his finest attributes. He nonetheless had that tendency when he began to float into that left channel. He was virtually enjoying as a left ahead at St. Pauli.
“A part of his recreation now, lots of his strengths come from that left facet, coming in and getting that shot. Mark, being an ex-striker, helped Viktor perceive his physique, getting his positioning proper, the place to make runs, when to get the timing proper.
“It additionally helped that the group at the moment we’re all actually hungry: Callum O’Hare, Ben Sheaf, Gustavo Hamer, Viktor — they had been all younger and decided to get to that subsequent degree. There was a ardour in all of the gamers within the constructing. After I was talking to gamers, lots of the switch technique was ‘come right here and use us a steppingstone, do what it’s essential to do and make your transfer from there.'”
That’s exactly what Gyökeres did. After scoring 9 targets in his first 11 video games, he would go on to register 44 targets in 116 video games throughout all competitions earlier than reaching one other crossroads in 2022-23.
Gyökeres stats evaluation (by Sam Tighe)
On the subject of strikers, targets have a tendency to talk for themselves — and Gyökeres’ whopping tally of 33 for membership and nation up to now this season is a robust assertion. As Tor notes, he has showcased all method of energy, approach, crafty and cold-bloodedness over the previous 18 months, laying waste to a collection of groups. Already this season, he has scored hat methods in opposition to Azerbaijan, Estrela, Farense and Manchester Metropolis.
The caveat right here is that three of these 4 groups are extraordinarily weak — and certainly, the standard within the decrease half of Portugal’s Primeira Liga is severely missing. This, plus a wholesome dose of penalties (seven within the league and Champions League final season; eight already this time period), plus Sweden’s curious positioning in UEFA Nations League C — permitting him to plunder 9 targets by enjoying Azerbaijan, Estonia and Slovakia residence and away — has clouded the statistics considerably.
Maybe, then, it is extra applicable to evaluate his affect in opposition to fellow home powerhouses Benfica and FC Porto. He met them seven instances final season, scoring 4 and helping two; and this time period he has notched three extra in opposition to Porto in two video games.
He has outperformed his anticipated targets (xG) mark for 3 straight seasons and has performed so by a wholesome margin (particularly final season, when he scored 6.9 targets greater than anticipated). That is usually the signal of a dependable, glorious finisher.
Nevertheless it’s not simply the capturing statistics that paint a glowing image: His 4.2 shot-creating actions per 90 locations him within the 94th percentile throughout Europe for likelihood creation amongst forwards; within the home league, he is third in his group for key passes (22), simply behind Sporting’s chief creator Pedro Gonçalves when it comes to anticipated assists (3.2 to three.1) and he is prime canine for progressive carries (51).
True, he cleans up in opposition to weak opponents, however this shouldn’t be seen as a barrier to progress; there are such a lot of different sides to his recreation that shine. A participant who can dash, carry the ball, create area for photographs and end like he does might name any elite membership on this planet residence.
Liftoff at Sporting
There was an acceptance at Coventry that Gyökeres would ultimately go away.
“He rang me earlier than the summer season when he knew he was doubtlessly going to be leaving,” Badlan says. “He stated to me: I solely wish to go to Bundesliga, Portugal, Italy, Spain or Premier League. If anyone else rings you, I am not going. He virtually had his profession mapped out in his thoughts.”
Sources have advised ESPN that a number of Premier League golf equipment together with Everton, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers confirmed various ranges of curiosity in Gyökeres, however his desire was to affix Sporting.
His current scoring kind has led some to query why larger golf equipment did not take a punt on the €24m price (together with add-ons) which Coventry had been demanding, however that’s simple to say in hindsight. On the time Gyökeres had just one 12 months remaining on his Coventry contract, however proprietor Doug King was steadfast in his valuation. The participant’s camp considered Sporting an applicable subsequent step, finishing a deal which noticed Brighton obtain a substantial share of the price.
“Individuals say he’s the one which bought away, however it wasn’t a foul return for a participant who by no means performed a Premier League recreation for us,” a supply near Brighton advised ESPN.
It’s no exaggeration to recommend Gyökeres shocked everyone together with his goal-scoring prowess at Sporting. In his first season, he scored a staggering 43 targets and registered 15 assists.
Former Portugal worldwide centre-back Daniel Carriço got here via the youth ranks throughout a 13-year keep at Sporting and stays intently linked to the membership following his retirement final 12 months. He believes Gyökeres’ relationship with former head coach Ruben Amorim was pivotal.
“Gyökeres improved not solely as a participant, however Ruben has lots of dynamics as a coach, eager to play with the ball, and Gyökeres was like a brand new weapon for him,” Carriço tells ESPN. “Earlier than he arrived, Sporting weren’t so robust within the area, and Gyökeres gave that high quality to Ruben Amorim’s squad.
“He was the most important weapon in opposition to all of the groups and Ruben cherished to have him in his first XI. Amorim improved his recreation in all of the methods, not solely bodily, however technically he improved lots. He is aware of easy methods to transfer and beat defenders.”
Gyökeres’ document is, frankly, ludicrous. He has scored 69 targets in 68 video games for Sporting in all competitions and has quietened a few of the scepticism round that document based mostly on the doubtful energy of Portugal’s Primeira Liga by changing into a prolific finisher for Sweden, plundering 15 targets from 26 appearances to this point.
It is value noting that Arsenal did hold him quiet in Tuesday’s Champions League conflict, a uncommon achievement, because the strong defensive partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães stood agency. Saliba stated postmatch: “We had been nicely ready. I feel we did a fantastic job. He is an effective participant.”
An indication of the eye Arsenal paid Gyökeres could possibly be seen in Gabriel showing to imitate the striker’s purpose celebration — overlaying half his face with interlocking fingers to resemble a masks in a tribute to Bane, the villain in 2012 movie “The Darkish Knight Rises” — when scoring the Gunners’ third purpose on the stroke of half-time.
Gyökeres nonetheless had 5 photographs and 40 touches in opposition to Arsenal however an xG of 0.37 in a 5-1 residence defeat, the primary loss in Sporting’s 20-game season up to now. “He can rating in all of the methods,” Carriço says. “The one factor I feel he can enhance is heading. When he’s contained in the field, he isn’t the highest quality, however I feel he can enhance.
“He desires to indicate day by day that he is without doubt one of the finest strikers in Europe, and proper now all of the groups within the large 5 leagues are paying consideration. It is going to be troublesome for Sporting to maintain him.”
The sight of Saliba and Gabriel shackling Gyökeres so successfully will lead some to query whether or not his €100m launch clause represents worth.
“The gamers which are leaving the Portuguese league now, you’re looking at £40m-£60m now for lots of the gamers who go away,” Badlan says. “So a striker together with his purpose document — and he is doing it on the worldwide stage — it’s the place soccer has gone. You get common gamers going for £30m now. Within the present market worth, then that’s the going worth for a striker who has the targets he is bought, particularly now he is scoring for Sweden. You place him anyplace; he scores targets.”
Will Gyökeres go away, and the place might he go?
Gyökeres’ consultant didn’t reply when contacted by ESPN, however reviews recommend that subsequent summer season, Sporting could settle for a decrease price than his €100 million launch clause. One supply linked to Sporting suggests the September signing of Conrad Harder from Nordsjælland in a deal value over €20m was accomplished in preparation for Gyökeres’ departure.
Manchester United are an apparent choice given Amorim’s arrival at Outdated Trafford and his shut reference to the participant, although sources have advised ESPN that United will wrestle to lift the required funds in January given their restricted headroom in complying with Revenue and Sustainability Guidelines (PSR). In any case, Gyökeres himself has played down a midseason move.
“I wish to end this season at Sporting,” he stated final week. “I find it irresistible right here. We are going to see [about a new club] when the time comes. I wish to play, that is essential, and there can be additionally different components.”
Amorim was additionally quoted by A Bola as saying: “I cannot signal any Sporting participant at Man United in January … then, what occurs in the summertime I do not know.”
Nonetheless, Carriço believes nothing may be dominated out. “For certain, Ruben desires him at Man United,” he says. “Ruben stated within the subsequent market [January] that he is not going to [target] Gyökeres however we by no means know. Soccer is a field of surprises, and we’ll see within the subsequent months what’s going to occur.
“All people is aware of the Portuguese league is sweet however not ok for that type of participant. The numbers he’s doing are superb, competing with the perfect strikers on this planet. Sporting has to just accept within the subsequent market or the summer season market, it is going to be unattainable to maintain a participant like him.”
A summer season transfer for Gyökeres would seem extra probably at this level, when United might have competitors from Manchester Metropolis given Sporting’s sporting director, Hugo Viana, can have by then accomplished his transfer to interchange Txixi Begiristain at Etihad Stadium. “Do not rule out Metropolis given Hugo’s arrival,” one well-placed supply advised ESPN.
Arsenal have additionally scouted Gyökeres and are prone to be available in the market for a ahead subsequent summer season. Sources have advised ESPN that Arsenal anticipate a quiet January window, until damage dictates a change in coverage or an surprising alternative arises. Nonetheless, they’ve been long-term admirers of RB Leipzig‘s Benjamin Šeško. Šeško signed a brand new contract with Leipzig final summer season, however there’s a perception that he could possibly be out there on the finish of this season, and the Gunners are monitoring his scenario intently. They’re additionally admirers of Newcastle’s Alexander Isak — Gyökeres’ strike accomplice with Sweden — however a possible price in extra of £100m complicates any pursuit.
Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta selected to not be drawn on Gyökeres on the eve of the sport, intentionally sidestepping questions concerning the participant’s potential affect. That is nothing notably new — he typically shuts down round large video games out of a need to not rile or inspire an opponent — however some may also view his lack of engagement via the prism of Arsenal’s reported curiosity.
Throughout London, Chelsea unsuccessfully pursued a deal for Victor Osimhen earlier than he left Napoli to affix Galatasaray in the summertime. They’re eager on including one other ahead and have additionally saved tabs on Gyökeres for a while.
No matter his subsequent step, Brommapojkarna will watch on with pleasure. “As with all of our academy gamers who’ve made their mark in worldwide and nationwide soccer there may be after all an elevated degree of attraction for our membership and academy [when players like Gyökeres do well],” Eklund says. “We’re very pleased with all of the gamers who’ve gone via our academy and comply with them as nice supporters alongside the best way.”
