"Has every attribute to be a Premier League player" - John Obi Mikel heaps praise on Arsenal and Manchester United target

Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel believes Arsenal and Manchester United target Viktor Gyokeres is ready to play in the Premier League. The Swedish striker has been outstanding for Sporting since joining the club from Coventry City in 2023.

Since then, Gyokeres has scored 66 goals and provided 19 assists from 67 games for the Portuguese club. With Sporting manager Ruben Amorim set to take charge as the new Manchester United head coach next week, the Swede has been linked with a move to Old Trafford.

The Red Devils have struggled to score goals this season, having scored just nine in 10 Premier League games. Gyokeres could be an upgrade on the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee. However, Manchester United are likely to face competition from Arsenal for the player's services.

Speaking on the Obi One Podcast, Obi Mikel was full of praise for the Swedish striker.

Definitely. For me, he is a Premier League player, he’s a player that suits the Premier League. He has every attribute to be a Premier League player, strong, big, quick, and most importantly goalscoring," said Obi Mikel.

He continued:

"He can score goals and when you look at it, his goal scoring ratio is better than any striker right now in Europe, the stats are there to back it up. He has been absolutely fantastic. Scoring three goals against Man City, you don’t hear that often. He has been fantastic and looks a little bit like [Erling] Haaland."

Gyokeres has 23 goals and four assists from 17 games across competitions this season. He scored a hattrick against Manchester City this week in the 4-1 win in the Champions League.

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Arsenal could challenge Manchester United for Viktor Gyokeres' signature

Viktor Gyokeres

Viktor Gyokeres was brought to Sporting by Ruben Amorim in the summer of 2023. The 26-year-old transformed into a feared striker under the Portuguese manager's tutelage at Estadio Jose Alvalade.

As such Amorim's presence in the dugout at Manchester United could give them an edge over Arsenal in the race. The Gunners also need a new striker right now, with Gabriel Jesus struggling to live up to expectations.

The north London side failed to secure a move for Benjamin Sesko in the summer and are ready to bolster the position in 2025. Gyokeres could be a fine fit at Arsenal.

The Swede reportedly has a £83 million release clause in his deal but could be available for £63 million, as per Florian Plettenberg. While that will be good news for the Gunners, Manchester United are likely to be the frontrunners in the race for Gyokeres.