'I played in the Premier League and can tell top Man Utd and Arsenal target will flop'

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A former top-flight striker believes Manchester United and Arsenal target Viktor Gyokeres would get found out and ultimately flop if he moved to the Premier League.

Gyokeres, 26, has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League following his remarkable goalscoring exploits for Sporting Lisbon.

Signed from Championship side Coventry City in the summer of 2023, Gyokeres scored 43 goals across his first season in Portugal.

Gyokeres has already proved that run was no blip, scoring 26 goals and three separate hat-tricks this season for the Portuguese league leaders.

Manchester United are believed to be at the front of the queue to sign Gyokeres after poaching the striker’s former manager Ruben Amorim from Sporting Lisbon last month.

Gyokeres thrived under Amorim and is said to be interested in a reunion at Old Trafford despite the Premier League giants’ recent struggles.

United’s interest is complicated by the fact they spent more than £70m on Rasmus Hojlund 18 months ago and another £36.5m on Joshua Zirkzee last summer.

Arsenal considered signing a new striker over the summer but eventually opted to stick with their current options, though they may be regretting that decision.

The Gunners went through a spell earlier in the season where they struggled in front of goal and were held to a goalless draw by struggling Everton at the weekend, dropping crucial points in the title race.

Mikel Arteta would surely welcome the addition of a prolific goalscorer like Gyokeres but Troy Deeney suspects he would flop if he moved to the Premier League.

‘You know when you say something the clip is going to come back in six months,’ Deeney told talkSPORT. ‘I genuinely think he’s a good footballer, he works really hard, all of that.

‘But I don’t think he’s a natural finisher. And again, everyone is going to pull up his goal record, I get that.

‘But I don’t think he takes either of those two [Man Utd or Arsenal] to winning the Premier League.

‘That’s just my opinion, and if he did, they’d have already bought him.’

Pressed on Gyokeres’ stunning numbers over at Sporting, the Watford legend added: ‘It’s not the same league [as the Premier League]. And we’ll find that out when Gyokeres comes over.’

While working under Amorim once more may be tempting, Gyokeres was recently urged to snub Manchester United in favour of a move to Arsenal.

Ex-Premier League star Emmanuel Petit told Gambling Zone: 'Why would Viktor Gyokeres look at both situations at Arsenal and Manchester United and choose to join United?

'I know his former manager is there, but there's nothing much going for United as they already have Hoijlund, Zirkzee and Rashford in that position.

'Arsenal is a much more attractive proposition for him, especially as Havertz does not seem like an out and out number nine and Gabriel Jesus isn't really performing.

'Gyokeres should really consider Arsenal as I think he could be their final missing piece of the jigsaw for Mikel Arteta.

'I love the way he plays far away from goal and his hold up play, it's something he could really add to Arsenal.'

Gyokeres scored his 18th league goal of the season on Saturday to help Sporting Lisbon beat Boavista 3-2 and move four points clear at the top of the table.

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