Football League World
·18 November 2024
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·18 November 2024
Victor Orta has explained why Leeds United missed out on signing Viktor Gyokeres from Coventry City in 2023.
Leeds United were interested in Viktor Gyökeres, then of Coventry City, in the January transfer window during the 2022/23 season, and Victor Orta has admitted that he could have been signed for as little as €14 million.
Speaking during the period of the winter market in 2023, The Athletic’s Phil Hay revealed that then Director of Football Orta had been keeping a close eye on the Coventry striker. Orta has since confirmed to Recordvia Sport Witness that he turned down the Swede for as little as £11.7 million.
He was outlined by Leeds as an alternative to Georginio Rutter, whom the club signed from Hoffenheim for a club record fee. Then, Football Insider reported that Leeds were one of the sides that were keen on signing the then 24-year-old in the summer window, should they remain in the top-flight.
It was a long-standing interest but Leeds were eventually relegated, with Rutter managing just one goal contribution after signing; but Gyökeres' Coventry form was clearly too good to ignore for other teams in the Premier League, with Everton and Fulham also said to be looking at signing him in the last year of his contract, as well as Wolves.
Coventry eventually accepted a club-record bid from Sporting CP for their star player, with reports from Coventry Live indicating it was in the region of £17.5 million (€20 million), with Fabrizio Romano indicating that it could possibly be as much as €24 million.
Leeds and Orta passed up on the chance to move for the striker, who has gone on to become one of the best in Europe at Sporting. The Spaniard, now at Sevilla, opted for Rutter and his potential aged just 20 instead.
He has spoken about why he didn’t go through with a deal for the striker after Orta spoke as a guest to postgraduate students at the Liga Portugal Business School, and Recordvia Sport Witness relayed comments from his speech.
He said:
In hindsight, missing out on the powerful and clinical Swede was a big mistake for Leeds, who ended up being relegated to the Championship, with Gyökeres since developing into one of Europe's best in Portugal, including scoring a recent hat-trick in the Champions League against Manchester City.
Leeds would undoubtedly have benefitted from having him in their squad. At the time, they had Patrick Bamford, Rodrigo, and Rutter, but only Bamford was capable of leading the line effectively to pin the opposition back and act as a focal point to spearhead the attack.
Gyökeres has the ability to dribble and carry the ball, enough pace to run the channels and in behind, and can also offer an outlet with his sheer size and frame as well. His next step looked like a move up to the Premier League and he had a year left on his contract with Coventry that summer, making a move for him a no-brainer for many top-flight teams.
Instead, Sporting have been the beneficiaries, who have a release clause of €100 million to protect them. In another reality, that would have been Leeds. He would have made a good alternative to Bamford. Stylistically, Gyökeres makes sense if you want a centre-forward who can offer real presence up top.
The now Sporting CP striker has since become one of European football's most fearsome players, and it's likely the 26-year-old will get another move higher up the footballing ladder. It's another transfer blunder from Orta which will frustrate Leeds fans.