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<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Gyokeres starring at Sporting CP</li><li>Dyche tried to sign him at Everton</li><li>Reviews Man Utd &amp; Arsenal target</li></ul><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va2ivxLJJhzdzbJdwo0n"><strong>Follow GOAL on WhatsApp!</strong></a> 🟢📱</td></tr></tbody></table>

'He's a real player' - Sean Dyche gives glowing review of Man Utd & Arsenal target Viktor Gyokeres before revealing Everton missed out on Sporting striker during Championship days

<p>The Sweden international is currently one of the most sought-after strikers in world football due to his goal-scoring exploits at the Portuguese side. Amid links with <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/viktor-gyokeres-transfer-preference-arsenal-juventus-interest-man-utd-snub-explained/blt80a40040dbc6edd6" target="_blank">Arsenal and Manchester United</a>, ex-Everton boss Dyche has revealed how close the Toffees came to signing the 27-year-old when he was at Coventry City in 2023. </p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>The former Burnley manager saw Gyokeres first-hand in a pre-season friendly between Everton and Sporting in the summer of 2023 and was left mightily impressed.</p><p>He told <a href="https://talksport.com/football/3310694/viktor-gyokeres-sean-dyche-everton-transfer-news-arsenal-manchester-united/" target="_blank">talkSPORT</a>: "The boy Gyokeres, I've got to be honest, I think he's a real player. I saw him in the Championship. Then we played him in pre-season and I thought, 'Strong, honest'. Not just the fact he was scoring goals by the way, there's more to his game I think." </p><p>Dyche added that he wanted to sign Gyokeres prior to his Sporting switch but "the numbers kept growing".</p>

WHAT DYCHE SAID

<p>Gyokeres was at a crossroads in his career after leaving Brighton in 2021. But he found his feet at Coventry and then made an eye-catching move to Sporting for £17 million ($23m). But very few would have expected him to score 97 goals in 102 games and be coveted by top teams across the planet.</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>It remains to be seen which team Gyokeres, who has a <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/sporting-cp-prepared-hike-viktor-gyokeres-valuation-100m-transfer-standoff-man-utd-arsenal-interest/blte8dbbc1a7f6f806f" target="_blank">£85m ($114m) release clause</a> but could be sold for around £60m ($81m) this summer, will join ahead of next season but it seems <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/viktor-gyokeres-blackmail-threats-man-utd-rejection-sporting-cp-superstar-big-summer-move/blt4d9c8fa8e88cf70b" target="_blank">his time with Sporting is set to end</a>.</p>

WHAT NEXT?

'He's a real player' - Sean Dyche gives glowing review of Man Utd & Arsenal target Viktor Gyokeres before revealing Everton missed out on Sporting striker during Championship days | Goal.com

Sean Dyche has revealed that Everton missed out on signing prolific Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres back when the striker was in the Championship.

&apos;He&apos;s a real player&apos; - Sean Dyche gives glowing review of Man Utd &amp; Arsenal target Viktor Gyokeres before revealing Everton missed out on Sporting striker during Championship days