"Massive blunder" - Leeds United missed "open goal" with Viktor Gyokeres at Coventry City | OneFootball

FLW's Leeds United fan pundit has explained the club's biggest recent transfer regret is ex-Coventry City man Viktor Gyokeres.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Leeds United have made their fair share of transfer blunders in their history, but missing out on Viktor Gyökeres in the January transfer window in the 2022/23 season when Leeds were eventually relegated.

Speaking during that period, The Athletic’s Phil Hay revealed that then Director of Football Victor Orta had been keeping a close eye on the Coventry City striker, in the lead up to the January window.

He was outlined by Leeds as an alternative to Georginio Rutter, whom the club signed from Hoffenheim for a club record fee. Then, Football Insider reported that Leeds were one of the sides that were keen on signing the then 24-year-old in the summer window, should they remain in the top-flight.

Leeds were eventually relegated, with Rutter managing just one goal contribution after signing; but Gyökeres' Coventry form was clearly too good to ignore for other teams in the Premier League, with Everton and Fulham also said to be looking at signing him in the last year of his contract, as well as Wolves.

Leeds United's regret at not signing Viktor Gyökeres

We asked FLW’s Leeds United fan pundit Kris Smith for his thoughts on whom the player the club was linked to, but didn't end up signing is. If so, who and why? The obvious answer became the now Sporting CP striker, who has since become one of European football's most feared players.

He said: "With every passing week that goes by, since the start of last season, I do continue to wonder why Leeds didn't push the boat out to sign Viktor Gyökeres when he was linked to us in January 2023.

"Under Jesse Marsch, in that window, Leeds needed midfielders, defenders, and a striker.

"The striker was probably the most important thing to start firing the goals in regularly to avoid relegation.

"We ended up spending a lot of money on Georginio Rutter, who was, and still is, a supreme talent and a very good player, but he was not a goalscorer and never has been.

"Gyökeres, meanwhile, was firing them in for Coventry on a regular basis, and he looked like an absolute open goal of a signing for Leeds.

"He would also have cost a lot less than the £36 million Leeds agreed to bring in Rutter. Now, we're getting reminders every single week of how badly we missed out on someone like Gyökeres.

"For Sporting, over in Portugal, he is just making a mockery of that league. And he is now doing it in the Champions League as well. Obviously, hitting a hat-trick recently against Manchester City.

"I think in terms of 'what if' moments for Leeds, he is up there as an absolutely massive blunder, which I can't believe we didn't go for."

Leeds should have signed Viktor Gyökeres from Coventry

Leeds would undoubtedly have benefitted from having him in their squad. Leeds had Patrick Bamford, Rodrigo, and Rutter, but only Bamford was capable of leading the line effectively to pin the opposition back and act as a focal point at that time.

Gyökeres could do this but also oozed confidence at that moment in time, and would have been a good analogue to Bamford, where he could dominate his opponent. Had Leeds signed him over Rutter, they may well have survived the drop.

He has the ability to dribble and carry the ball, enough pace to run the channels and in behind, and can also offer an outlet with his sheer size and frame as well. His next step looked like a move up to the Premier League and he had a year left on his contract with Coventry that summer, making a move for him a no-brainer for many top-flight teams.

Instead, Sporting have been the beneficiaries, who have a release clause of €100 million. In another reality, that would have been Leeds. He would have made a good alternative to Bamford. Stylistically, Gyökeres makes sense if you want a centre-forward who can offer real presence up top.