Everyone knows that Wolves were trying to sign Viktor Gyokeres from Coventry City last summer until Sporting Lisbon swooped in – and now it has been revealed why they missed out on the Swedish goal machine.
Wolves were pushing hard to sign a new striker last summer and sitting at the top of their wishlist was Coventry City forward Viktor Gyokeres.
The 25-year-old was fresh from obliterating the Championship after scoring 21 goals in 46 appearances. His contributions very nearly fired Coventry into the Premier League, but they were beaten in the play-off final on penalties by Luton Town.
With Coventry remaining in the second tier, Mark Robins had no chance of holding onto his goal machine who attracted interest from several clubs, including Wolves.
It was never revealed whether the Wanderers launched an official bid for Gyokeres, but after Sporting landed the Swedish international, he said he joined the Portuguese giants as they showed the most interest in him.
Now, it has been unveiled that Wolves did come close to signing the striker, but one major factor prevented them from securing a deal.
Why Wolves didn’t sign Viktor Gyokeres
According to the Portuguese outlet Record, Wolves offered the ‘best conditions’ to Gyokeres, but when it came to placing their money on the table, owner Jeff Shi was out of the country and a deal couldn’t be completed.
Sporting instead swooped in and had a €20 million (£17 million) offer, plus €4 million (£3.4 million) in goal-related bonuses, accepted from the Championship side.
Of course, with Wolves hamstrung by FFP-related issues last summer and restricted in what they could spend, it will never be known whether a deal for Gyokeres was possible, but it’s one they regret not completing now.
Viktor Gyokeres has outscored Erling Haaland in 2023/24
Gyokeres has transformed into one of the most prolific strikers on the planet, and his total of 36 goals in all competitions is more than Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (29 in 34 appearances).
Following his exploits in Portugal, Gyokeres – who is set to sign a new bumper contract with a £102 million release clause – is wanted by Premier League giants Arsenal and Chelsea this summer.
The signs demonstrate that the Swedish superstar could be worth that sum of money as according to FBref, he ranks in the 1% of European forwards for progressive carries, successful take-ons and shot-creating actions.
A complete striker in the modern game, who is approaching his prime years, Sporting landed Gyokeres for a bargain price and could receive a windfall of over £100 million if they were to sell him, leaving Wolves pondering what could have been.