The details behind the Viktor Gyokeres transfer saga of summer 2023 has been revealed, with Leeds United being the center of the whole issue.
Gyokeres played for Coventry City in the Championship during the 2022/23 season. The Swedish striker scored 21 goals as the club reached the playoff final. Coventry eventually lost to Luton Town, who were promoted to the Premier League.
Leeds United finished in 19th place in the Premier League that season, and were relegated. The club changed managers twice during the season but still failed to stay up. Jesse Marsch was sacked after a poor run of results, Javi Gracia came in and was also sacked when it looked like Leeds would be relegated.
Sam Allardyce was the final throw of the dice during the last few months of the campaign, but even he could not keep Leeds United’s hopes alive.
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Leeds United and the Viktor Gyokeres saga
Credit: Imago Images
It has now been revealed that Leeds United turned down the chance to sign Viktor Gyokeres before he joined Sporting CP. Former Leeds director of football, Victor Orta, revealed to Portuguese newspaper Record that he refused to send a €14 million bid for Gyokeres and instead chose to sign Georginio Rutter from Hoffenheim for a record £36m fee.
Orta said: “When I was at Leeds United I didn’t want to give €14m for him. Cases like that of Gyökeres are the good surprises that football gives us, those things that we cannot measure.”
Gyokeres went to Portugal after being snubbed by Leeds United. The Swedish international penned a five-year contract with Sporting for a €20m fee. Coventry also benefited from a huge sell-on fee. Gyokeres has been sensational in the Portuguese league, scoring 66 goals in 68 games and providing 19 assists.
What could have been?
In hindsight, Leeds United could have had potentially one of the best strikers in Europe on a low fee. Imagine Gyokeres in place of Joel Piroe, Leeds could have dominated the championship.
Signing Rutter was not a bad decision, as Leeds eventually made a profit off him. But his first year at the club was underwhelming before he burst into life in the Championship, ending the season with 15 assists.
Surprisingly, Leeds United now need a goalscorer like Gyokeres and a creative number 10 like Rutter if they want to stand a chance of winning promotion. The club have been linked with a Premier League midfielder, and a free agent attacker who can provide these qualities for the club.
