Arsenal and Chelsea 'to join Man Utd' in Viktor Gyokeres transfer race

Manchester United will have to fight off serious competition to reunite Ruben Amorim with Viktor Gyokeres.

The Sporting Lisbon boss has been confirmed as the new Red Devils head coach. And it has been suggested that he could be set to bring one of his former players with him.

Viktor Gyokeres has emerged as a prime target for United, with the Swedish striker sending a strong message in Amorim’s final home game. He netted a sensational hat-trick in Sporting’s 4-1 Champions League thumping of Manchester City.

And Gyokeres could be available sooner rather than later. His current employers have moved to reduce the sell-on clause held by his former club Coventry, while it has also been suggested that the Portuguese side could sell for around £63million next summer.

And while United could potentially try and take advantage of that, they could face competition. As per The Sun, Gyokeres’ advisors are pushing for a club in the Champions League.

That has put Arsenal and Chelsea on red alert as they attempt to qualify for next season, while the Gunners are currently embroiled in their third successive campaign. Arsenal have apparently been scouting the striker for the past 12 months.

PSG have been touted as a potential destination for Gyokeres too, but the French giants are not currently interested. As per Le Parisien, they are concerned at the lofty price they would have to pay.

Incoming United boss Amorim recently spoke out on Gyokeres but refused to confirm whether he would be interested in taking him to Old Trafford. He said: “I’ve just made peace with the Sporting fans, I’m not even going to make a joke about it.

“Gyokeres is a Sporting player, which is a great club, he did a lot for it, he was in the second division, he just has to stay and finish the season at Marques.”

Meanwhile, ex-United star Rio Ferdinand has claimed Premier League scouts will be kicking themselves not for moving sooner. He said on TNT Sports: "The recruitment teams in all of the clubs in the Premier League must be scratching their heads, to think 'how did we let him get away? He hasn't had a conventional route, his route to the top hasn't been straightforward.”

"He was at Brighton, went on loan to Swansea, sold to Coventry, does well and then goes to Sporting. He's had a journey where he's had to build himself and create what he is now. You think to yourself how has he been allowed to get out.

"All of a sudden, we're seeing what he's got now, he's grown into what he is, confidence, the stature he has. Physicality, might have had to wait for that to come."