Who is Sporting's striking talent Viktor Gyökeres?

Creativity, scoring frequency, and take-on ability are some words to describe an up-and-coming Swedish striker who is making waves in European football.

Viktor Gyökeres originally played for Brighton Hove & Albion. Picture: Google Images.

Creativity, scoring frequency, and take-on ability are some words to describe an up-and-coming Swedish striker who is making waves in European football. Viktor Gyökeres, who many have described as the new Zlatan Ibrahimovic, has been destroying teams, scoring 22 goals and creating ten assists in Liga Portugal for Sporting CP. Here are some reasons why your club should sign him.

Club History

After multiple failed loans at Swansea City Football Club and playing for German side St. Pauli. Gyökeres gained attention after his move to Coventry City in the 2020-21 season. Last season Gyökeres scored 21 goals and created ten assists in 46 games for Coventry. Scoring a goal every 192 minutes in a match in the Championship. Gyökeres has improved this statistic this year, managing a goal every 109 minutes, while playing for Sporting.

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Style of Play

Gyökeres’ heat map for his time playing in Coventry and Sporting. Picture: totalfootballanalysis.

Gyökeres was often used as a target man, but he can offer a wide variety of options such as quickness and assists in wide positions.

For example, during a game against Estoril Praia where Sporting won 5-1, he didn’t go for the shot straight away, instead, he played a beautiful pass to Marcus Edwards for him to score.

Funnily enough, despite being such an attacking threat he didn’t score during the match, getting three assists. The only player who has managed more assists (four) during a match was Manchester City forward Jeremy Doku.

Goals

Viktor Gyökeres scores against Farense. Source: Youtube

Gyökeres has been a goal-scoring machine for Sporting this season. He has the fourth most goal involvements this season across Europe (26). Other players included in this list are Luuk de Jong (33), Harry Kane (32), and Adam Armstrong (28).

His positional awareness is also sharp. Just have a look at this goal which he scored against Farense where Sporting won (3 - 2). Instead of running to the far post for a header, he goes to the near post, using his heel to put the ball into the back of the net. An understanding of the space around him has led to a conversion rate of 26% this year. Making him a dangerous threat for opposition teams across Europe.

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