Man Utd Signing ‘Best Striker in World’ Would Convince Bruno Fernandes to Stay

Bruno Fernandes deserves to see Manchester United show ambition by signing Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP this summer.

The Portuguese midfielder is heavily linked with an Old Trafford exit following the Red Devils’ 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final. GIVEMESPORT sources indicate that Al-Hilal has given the 30-year-old a 72-hour deadline to decide whether to join the Saudi Pro League giants.

Fernandes has been at United since January 2020, when he arrived from Sporting in an initial £46.6m deal. He’s been a revelation in a dark period for the club, and nobody would blame him for jumping ship with £700,000 per week thought to be on offer.

If Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS want to build around Fernandes and show him they intend to reverse the damage of the club’s worst campaign in history, they must get their recruitment spot on. That starts by recruiting the best number nine on the market, and Gyokeres is that man.

Gyokeres Signing Could Turn Tide At Man Utd

Fernandes deserves to work with a proven goalscorer

Rasmus Hojlund has been one of the most disappointing signings in United’s history, but the young Dane isn’t solely to blame. The club, prior to INEOS’ arrival, threw £72m at Atalanta in the summer of 2023, hoping he’d magically be ready to lead the line.

Fernandes has proven to be a magician during his five-year stay at Old Trafford, but not even his playmaking abilities have been able to get Hojlund to conjure up more than four goals in 31 league outings this season.

Joshua Zirkzee’s arrival from Bologna last summer for £36.5m looks more nonsensical by the minute, as the Dutch forward was misprofiled. He is a very talented attacker, but NOT a potent number nine, which the club needed even before Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag in November.

Amorim’s role in developing Gyokeres into one of Europe’s best frontmen can’t be understated, and he played a key role in luring him to Sporting in the summer of 2023. The player’s agent suggested six months ago that his client was pondering his future because the Portuguese coach was leaving for the United job.

Fernandes backs “right man” Amorim but has concerns about the club’s direction after failing to qualify for the Champions League and finishing 15th in the league. If INEOS are willing to show their captain how they plan to get the Red Devils back on track, Gyokeres is the signing to do that.

The 26-year-old leads the European Golden Boot race with 39 goals in 33 games, has a proven track record of success under Amorim and allows Fernandes to finally work with a centre-forward who knows where the goal is. An ageing Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani and a purple patch Marcus Rashford are the only three who have fit the bill since he arrived five years ago.

There has been talk of Gyokeres, dubbed “the best striker in the world”, only wanting to join a club competing in the Champions League next season. While Fabrizio Romano suggests it could complicate a deal for the Swede, he insists it’s still an “open race”.

Arsenal appear to have switched their focus to RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko after previously being viewed as frontrunners for Gyokeres. That could open the door for United to back Amorim and Fernandes by swooping for “Europe’s most-wanted striker”, at around £55m.

All statistics courtesy of StatMuse and Transfermarkt – correct as of 25.05.2025

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