In an interview with L'Equipe this week, Gyokeres was asked to compare himself to Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, and Robert Lewandowski.
"I'm definitely one of them," the Sporting player confidently replied. "It's hard to rank myself, but right now, I'm at the same level as them. What I've achieved at Sporting, I believe I can achieve anywhere. You haven't seen my best yet."
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Gyokeres celebrates during Sporting's 4-1 victory over Man City in Lisbon, Portugal, on 5/11/2024. Photo: AP |
Gyokeres celebrates during Sporting's 4-1 victory over Man City in Lisbon, Portugal, on 5/11/2024. Photo: AP
Haaland and Kane are two of the Premier League's all-time leading scorers. Haaland holds the record for most goals in a single Premier League season (36 in 2022-2023), while Kane is the league's second-highest scorer with 213 goals. Lewandowski, another renowned striker, has played for Dortmund and Bayern Munich, and is currently leading the line at Barca.
The lesser-known Gyokeres previously played in England, scoring 43 goals for Coventry during two and a half seasons in the Championship. The Swedish striker joined Sporting in 2023 and has scored 97 goals in 102 matches over two seasons in Portugal. Last season, Gyokeres netted 54 goals in 52 matches across all competitions, including a hat-trick against Man City in the Champions League, significantly contributing to Sporting's domestic league and cup double.
According to British media, Gyokeres is likely to join Arsenal this summer. The Gunners have reportedly reached a personal agreement with the Swedish forward, but still need to negotiate a transfer fee with Sporting. Gyokeres has also refused to return to Sporting for pre-season training, putting pressure on the club to expedite the negotiation process.
However, in his interview with L'Equipe, Gyokeres remained composed when asked about his future. "In football, you never know," the 27-year-old said. "I'm not thinking about leaving, let's see what happens. The most important thing is to play for a club that really wants me."
Gyokeres was contracted to Brighton between 2018 and 2021 but never played in the Premier League. He's eager to return to England's top flight to prove his ability. "It's one of the biggest leagues in Europe," he said. "I was there for a few years without playing a single game. So, of course, it's something I want to do. It would be a great revenge."
Hong Duy (Daily Mail)
