Manchester City join Arsenal and Liverpool in transfer battle for €100 million Sporting Lisbon superstar | OneFootball

Manchester City are among a long list of top-ranking English clubs interested in the services of Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres, according to reports.

It is the latest name from within the exemplary operation at Sporting CP attracting attention from the Premier League champions, who have already moved to recruit the Portuguese giants’ hugely successful Director of Football, Hugo Viana.

The 41-year-old will succeed Txiki Begiristain as Manchester City’s sporting director, with the latter bringing an end to an illustrious 12-year stay at the Etihad Stadium, constructing squads that have won everything available to win under two different managers.

City were also tied to media reports from Portugal claiming that Sporting’s Ruben Amorim was also being eyed as a successor to Pep Guardiola, before Manchester United swooped in over the last week to make the 39-year-old their replacement for the sacked Erik ten Hag.

Now, the latest reports lead Manchester City officials in the direction of one of Sporting’s best on-field attacking talents, despite Erling Haaland holding down the role of mainstay first-team striker under Pep Guardiola.

That is according to the information of Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, who reports that despite a €100 million release clause, there is an agreement that would permit Sporting striker Viktor Gyökeres to leave next summer for between €60 million and €70 million.

While a move in the winter market is not planned at the Lisbon club, the report reveals that a summer exit is ‘very likely’, with interest from all of Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea in England – all of whom are informed of the aforementioned agreement.

Manchester City are currently without a natural back-up to Erling Haaland in their first-team squad, having sanctioned the sale of Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid over the summer with the Argentine striker eyeing a new adventure in warmer climates.

Despite Alvarez making the switch to the Spanish capital in a deal that could eventually reach upwards of £90 million through various add-ons on the agreement, Manchester City chose not to reinvest funds into a direct replacement for the player.

Instead, Pep Guardiola has been left to source alternative options when Haaland is in need of rest or rotation, with Phil Foden and James McAtee occupying the leading false-nine and striker role during the recent 2-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Tottenham.