Viktor Gyokeres has now taken his Sporting Lisbon tally to 30 for the season as Premier League giants Newcastle United keep tabs on the former Coventry City talisman.
If Eddie Howe had a goal-scoring talent like Viktor Gyokeres at his disposal, Newcastle United would not have required a penalty shootout to break through Blackburn Rovers’ resistance on Tuesday night.
Yes, John Eustace’s plucky underdogs were outstanding on the night. However, if Harvey Barnes, Sean Longstaff, Anthony Gordon, or Bruno Guimaraes had carried their shooting boots to Lancashire, Newcastle could have reached the FA Cup quarter-finals with much less hassle.
The Magpies have certainly not struggling for goals recently. They scored four goals against Luton and three each against Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in recent weeks, despite their problems at the other end of the pitch.
However, with Alexander Isak’s fitness issues limiting his involvement and Callum Wilson, now 32, also on the sidelines, a quality centre-forward may be high on Newcastle’s summer shopping list. Naturally, financial fair play is permitted.
HITC Football understands that Newcastle sent scouts to watch Gyokeres play for Sporting Lisbon in early January. Nearly two months later, the powerful Swede has hit the 30-goal mark for the first time in his career. Gyokeres, who arrived for a bargain £20 million from Coventry City, has reached this total in just 33 games for the Portuguese giants, making it all the more impressive.
