Chelsea and Manchester United are hardly the best of friends on the football pitch but United fans will be particularly thankful to the Blues.
Last summer, when it looked like Man Utd will be stuck with Jadon Sancho’s astronomic wages and dwindling production, not only did Chelsea step up, but they did so on permanent terms.
United got nearly £300k/week off the wage bill and stands to make about £25 million next summer, worth its weight in gold for a player who was never going to succeed at Old Trafford.
They can repeat that trick and help Ruben Amorim land his priority transfer target next summer this time by playing their part in the game of transfer dominos.
Chelsea’s role in Man Utd’s Viktor Gyokeres transfer chase
Manchester United’s problems with goalscoring are an open secret and while Ruben Amorim has insisted it’s not a personnel problem, the eye test begs to differ.
Rasmus Hojlund’s form is a real worry, while Joshua Zirkzee has impressed recently but is far too inconsistent and not clinical enough to reliably lead the line.
That has led to United getting linked to Viktor Gyokeres, arguably Europe’s most in-form hitman who unlocked a new level to his game under Amorim at Sporting.
Amorim has been credited with an interest in Gyokeres for a move as soon as this January, something which looks difficult but it’s certainly one to keep an eye on for the summer.
However, a lot of interest always follows a great player and Bayern were linked with a move for Gyokeres. That is where Chelsea come into the picture.
Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku has been reliably linked with a move to Bayern, perhaps as soon as this January, in a transfer that will help United.
Nkunku, who played the best football of his career in Germany, is interested in moving to Bayern which would close the door for another striker to go there, especially with Harry Kane scoring goals for fun.
Man Utd need to make Gyokeres transfer a summer priority
January was expected to be a busy one for United but a lack of movement in sales has led to a standstill in buys as their financial condition is precarious.
Tyrell Malacia potentially leaving United could open the door for a left wing-back to be signed but as things stand, a striker looks like it’ll be on the agenda only in the summer.
If that happens, then Gyokeres has to be the no-brainer target due to a multitude of factors.
His raw goalscoring numbers speak for themselves but even if their translatibility to English football was a concern, there’s his record at Coventry City to lean on.
In addition, his age profile makes him the perfect striker to rotate Hojlund with, and it also allows Zirkzee to flourish in a deeper role with runners around him.
Targeting him for a priority transfer in the summer is a no-brainer, and Chelsea might clear the way for it to happen this January.
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