Liverpool are ready to launch a move to sign Arsenal and Manchester United target Viktor Gyokeres, stunning new reports in Portugal have claimed, though Florian Plettenberg has identified the striker Arne Slot is most likely to sign with a deal for Alexander Isak now looking unlikely.
The Reds have wasted no time strengthening their squad this summer, with Milos Kerkez having now signed his contract and poised to become summer signing No. 5 at Anfield. The Hungarian will move to Merseyside from Bournemouth in a £40m deal and joins Giorgi Mamardashvili (a deal arranged last summer), Jeremie Frimpong, Armin Pecsi and Florian Wirtz as new Liverpool players.
While the latest signing takes Liverpool’s summer spending through the £190m barrier, there are no suggestions yet that they are finished and deals for two more big signings are still on their radar, with a new centre-half and a striker still very much on their wishlist.
While the Reds’ central defensive search now seems to focus on Marc Guehi, more on him later, the quest to land a new striker appears to be more far-reaching, with the likes of Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Victor Osimhen all mentioned in recent weeks.
However, according to Correio da Manha, a new name can be added to that wishlist in the form of Gyokeres.
And with Arsenal and Manchester United both linked with a big-money swoop for the 174-goal Swede, though with neither yet to secure an agreement, the Portuguese outlet now claims Liverpool are ready to come thundering in with a big-money offer of their own.
Per the report, the Reds have ‘given instructions to representatives’ to ‘confirm Gyokeres’ price’. And while they have learned that Sporting CP are ‘only’ willing to accept an offer worth €80m (£68.2m, $93m), it’s claimed Liverpool are ready to make an ‘interesting offer’ by offloading Darwin Nunez and giving themselves the ‘money needed to strengthen their attack’.
Gyokeres preference revealed as Plettenberg names real Liverpool target
According to Fabrizio Romano, speaking earlier this week, Gyokeres’ preference remains on signing for Arsenal this summer.
Romano explained on his YouTube channel: “Viktor Gyokeres’ priority remains Arsenal. He wants to go to Arsenal and play Champions League football.
“He never rejected Manchester United but he told them his priority would be Arsenal. So let’s follow the Gyokeres-Benjamin Sesko situation at Arsenal, which is still ongoing.
“We can confirm reports from Portugal that Gyokeres has told Sporting that he doesn’t want to play for them any more. He wants to go. He doesn’t even want to train if the situation continues like this. He wants his exit pact to be respected. And so now it’s on Sporting to find a solution.”
So could Liverpool really make a move to beat the Gunners and United to the signing of Gyokeres?
The Swede has certainly shown in Portugal that he is no stranger to scoring goals, having blitzed his way to an incredible 97 strikes in 102 appearances across two seasons.
While Nunez has since shown that big goal tallies in the Portuguese Primeira Liga don’t necessarily translate to success in the Premier League, Gyokeres does have the added advantage of having played in England before, with spells at both Coventry City and Brighton.
However, there are suggestions his style of play may not be ideally suited to Slot’s needs and he may not be blessed with the same blistering pace that Slot currently has at his disposal at Anfield.
But with Isak seemingly taken off the menu for the Premier League champions, Plettenberg has indicated that the Reds will prioritise a move for Ekitike instead.
Writing on X, the Sky Germany journalist explained: ‘Liverpool feel that Napoli have a good chance of signing Darwin Nunez, as the player tends to prefer staying in Europe. Talks between the clubs have begun, and LFC will not stand in his way should he decide to leave.’
He added: ‘Liverpool remain seriously interested in Hugo Ekitike and still see themselves as having a very good chance in the race for the French striker, but Manchester United and Chelsea are still there. A sale of Nunez is important for the next steps.’
Liverpool transfer latest: Nunez sale close; Guehi deal hinges on two factors
Meanwhile, Napoli are reportedly ‘set to land’ Nunez for €50m and are ‘serious’ about signing a second Reds star as the Anfield exodus quickly gathers pace.
Those two sales could be part of a giant summer clearout on Merseyside and with a number of departures already confirmed, a report this week has named the 11 players who could be shown the door.
On the incoming front, James Pearce has confirmed Liverpool are very much keen on a move for Guehi.
However, the journalist has explained why the Reds will not be rushing into his signingwith a deal very much dependent on two conditions.
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