Victor Gyokeres makes January transfer decision amid Man Utd interest

According to Spanish publication AS, Gyokeres expressed this preference in a meeting with his agent, Hasan Cetinkaya.

Gyokeres, a late bloomer, has become one of Europe’s most talked-about strikers this season, with 73 goals in all competitions for Sporting since the start of last season, including 30 by mid-season this year.

Having flourished under Ruben Amorim at Sporting, it’s no surprise that he’s been linked to Manchester United.

Barcelona is also considering life after Robert Lewandowski but continues to face financial difficulties.

Before joining Sporting in the summer of 2023, Gyokeres had never played top-flight football but now has a reported €100m (£83m/$103m) release clause in his contract, which Sporting is likely to insist on before letting him go.

Assuming Gyokeres will move on to a bigger stage than Sporting in the summer, he has half a season left to maximize his impact.

The 26-year-old is on track to surpass the 43 goals he scored last season and could potentially reach close to 60 goals at the club level if he maintains his current form.

Moreover, Barcelona might prefer to resolve his future in the summer, giving them time to gather the necessary funds.