It is not unreasonable to suggest that Viktor Gyokeres is currently the most in-form striker in European football.

A Champions League hat-trick against Manchester City Tuesday took him to 23 goals in all competitions already for Sporting Lisbon this season, seven goals in just five days after scoring four against Estrela Amadora last Friday.

It’s been 18 months for Gyokeres since he moved to Portugal, propelling Sporting to the Primeira Liga title last season and looking in good shape to repeat the feat with a perfect start of 10 wins from his first 10 games .

A return of 66 goals in 67 appearances in a green and white shirt has predictably put Europe’s elite clubs on alert – particularly with the shortage of genuine No.9s at the modern era.

For those who aren’t sure what he offers, let’s go over the main attributes of the 6ft 2in (187cm) human ram that everyone is noticing.

Gyokeres came out on top in his fight against Haaland this week (Patricia De Melo Moreira/AFP via Getty Images)

“The good thing about Viktor is that he can score in many ways,” says Peter Kisfaludy, former academy director of Brommapojkarna, Gyokeres’ former Swedish club.

“He is a box player but he can also advance with the ball because he is fast and strong. Did you see the goal he scored against Belgium? It’s world class.

Kisfaludy is referring to Gyokeres’ goal in Sweden’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Belgium, when he collected the ball in his own half and launched into a solo run to ignore everything Belgian player before passing the ball. Matz Salts.

What a race from Viktor Gyökeres!

The Swede takes the ball from inside his own half, sets Jan Vertonghen down with brilliant skill and scores #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/wxNc11J7ZI

– Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) October 16, 2023

Comparisons with Erling Haaland This may be a bit of an exaggeration, but you can draw similar conclusions if you’re facing Gyokeres: give him space to run into and he’ll punish you insistently.

Haaland and his City teammates learned that lesson the hard way this week after their high line was broken and a simple through ball saw Gyokeres race past the teenager. Jahmai Simpson-Pusey to finish in style Ederson and restore parity.

Sporting are tied against Manchester City!

Viktor Gyokeres scores his 21st goal of the campaign to make it 1-1 in Lisbon. #UCL

@footballontntpic.twitter.com/RoAJfR3C2c

— Athletics | Football (@TheAthleticFC) November 5, 2024

It was a breathtaking goal that was similar to the one he had scored a few days earlier, as a forward ball from Trincao saw Gyokeres burst across goal, sit down the opposition defender and power home his finish in the farthest corner.

Despite poor defending, there’s not much you can do when he’s stretching his legs with the ball at his feet.

Gyokeres’ 16 goals in 10 Primeira Liga matches puts him at an unsustainable rate of 1.6 goals per 90 minutes this season. While we can reasonably expect this rate to drop by the end of the campaign, the Swede has outperformed his expected targets (xG) for much of the last three years, which speaks to some ability to elite finish.

This is displayed on a 900-minute rolling average of a player’s xG per 90 compared to goals per 90. Tracking the two together allows you to see a player’s goalscoring form compared to their expectations. Aside from a small goal slide at the end of the 2021-22 campaign with City of Coventry (red tint), Gyokeres has barely seen a drop in goals in recent years.

Only that of Bayern Munich Harry Kane (36 goals and eight assists) and PSV Eindhoven’s Luuk de Jong (29 goals and 15 assists) have scored more domestic goals than Gyokeres (29 goals and 10 assists) in Europe’s top seven leagues in 2023-24.

And this season, only Kane can keep up with Gyokeres as both men top the list with 17 goals each.

Gyokeres has the physical profile to stay in central areas and occupy central defenders with their backs to goal, but he thrives on runs into the channel to intimidate opposing defenders with his power and acceleration.

Take this example against Nacional this season. As a central defender Devastation of Zeno releases the ball, Gyokeres is two meters from the defender, but emerges beyond him to reach the end of the pass, collect himself and finish with insistence at the near post.

A similar example can be seen against Benfica in the first leg in February of last season’s Taca de Portugal semi-final.

Winger Geny Catamo spots the run of Gyokeres, who moves away into the right channel. Only one passage sees Gyokeres pass in front Nicolas Otamendicuts inside and sends the ball with his left foot to the near post.

There are similar examples in the left channel.

Against Sturm Graz in the Champions League, Gyokeres is followed down the left touchline as the ball is played over the line. He uses his body perfectly to roll the defender and head towards goal, before rounding the keeper to finish.

This is the continuation of last season. Against fourth division Dumiense in November’s Taca de Portugal match, Gyokeres teamed up with left-back Nuno Santos to drive into space, ignore his counterpart and shoot from a tight angle.

This is a cheat code that Sporting has used time and time again.

For those who need more examples, last season’s goals against Farense and Porto will strengthen the argument that this is a clear pattern of play since Gyokeres moved to Portugal.

When Gyokeres isn’t carrying the scoring burden himself, these chain runs are always useful as he provides for others.

The Sporting number 9 has only one assist in the league so far this campaign, but a rate of 0.24 expected assists per 90 minutes – which is the expected value of assisted shot goals – is identical to his rate last season, where he scored 10 assists in the league.

Against Uniao Leiria in February, it’s a similar pattern with a channel ball played by Santos and Gyokeres forward – only this time he returns the ball to Pedro Goncalves coming the other way.

If you need further proof, just look at Sporting’s goals against Benfica, Estoril (twice) and Porto last season.

Gyokeres’ strength, power and eye for goal are undeniable, but one key question looms over him: can he succeed at the highest level?

Considering the plaudits he’s receiving, it’s remarkable to think that the 26-year-old has yet to play in Europe’s top five leagues in his career. He threatened to do so during his time at Brighton and Coventry City, but Gyokeres’ time in English football was a bit… strange.

Having signed for Brighton in 2017 he failed to make an impact on the south coast with his first team minutes limited to a few cup matches. Mixed loan success in 2.Bundesliga St. Pauli and Swansea City saw few raise eyebrows at his quality, before a move to Coventry City allowed the Swedish striker to flourish.

After 17 league goals in his first full season, Gyokeres quickly followed it up with 21 more goals as Coventry narrowly missed out on promotion to champions. Premier League — lose against Luton Town on penalties in the play-off final. Had Coventry won that day, Gyokeres’ career might have taken a different path.

Since his last experience in England, it can be said that the stock of Gyokeres has increased considerably.

Playing for Brighton against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup in 2020 (Andy Rain – Pool/Getty Images)

With four years of development, consistent first-team minutes and a style suited to his skill set, it’s clear Gyokeres is a step ahead of the player he was when he failed to make an impact in Brighton and Swansea.

It remains to be seen whether a move to the Premier League would allow him to make a similar impact to that achieved in Portugal, and a word of caution may be advised.

The Primeira Liga is known for being qualitatively and quantitatively uneven across the division.with a lack of competitiveness existing beyond Sporting, Benfica and Porto. Moving to a stronger division with deeper defensive lines would likely come with a period of adaptation.

For example, Darwin NuñezBenfica’s transition to Liverpool saw him score 26 league goals in Portugal in their farewell 2021-22 season. However, his combined 21 Premier League goals during his two and subsequent years on Merseyside indicate a decline since his move.

A rule for one is rarely a rule for all, but it is a consideration that would undoubtedly factor into any suitor’s decision-making when looking at Gyokeres’ production.

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His performances in the Champions League, however, might offer the truest measure of his potential, and a hat-trick against Manchester City suggests he has the qualities to excel at the highest level of European football. For any defender, giving Gyokeres space is a mistake likely to be punished quickly.

(Header photo: Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)