Sporting CP sign Viktor Gyokeres from Coventry City

Sporting CP have signed centre-forward Viktor Gyokeres from Coventry City for around €24 million. He signed a five-year deal until 2028.

The fee is the record transfer sum Coventry have received. It tops the £13 million they got from Inter Milan for Robbie Keane in 2000. Also, it is the record sum Sporting have paid for a player.

Gyokeres joins the Primeira Liga side in dire need of firepower ahead of next season, as their strikers underwhelmed last season.

Nuno Santos managed only eight goals in 31 league appearances, while Paulinho scored only five times in 22 appearances. They need goals and have signed Gyokeres to help them.

The 25-year-old striker netted 21 goals and assisted ten more to help Coventry finish in the promotion play-offs last season, but they could not climb into the Premier League. The season before, he netted 17 goals and assisted five.

Gyokeres has spent six seasons in British football after joining Brighton & Hove Albion in 2017 from Swedish club IF Brommapojkarna. 

The Sweden international would make only five cup appearances for the Seagulls in the 2018/19 season before heading out on loan to St Pauli in the German second division in the 2019/20 campaign. He scored seven goals in 26 appearances.

The following season, he went on loan to Swansea, but it was a disappointing spell. He returned to Brighton after six months and went on another loan to Coventry.

Despite scoring only three goals, the Sky Blues signed him permanently, and he has netted over 40 goals for the club.

Gyokeres’ performances have caught the attention of Sporting. They have signed the striker to work with Ruben Amorim as they look to challenge on all fronts next season.

As for Coventry, they already knew the striker would leave this summer and made early preparations. They secured striker Ellis Simms from Everton.