Viktor Gyokeres sell-on clause and why it may back Manchester United into a corner

Viktor Gyokeres is the talk of the town after his hat-trick helped Ruben Amorim’s Sporting CP inflict Manchester City’s biggest defeat since 2020 on Tuesday.

The 4-0 win marked a full circle from Amorim, who was in charge when the Blues ran rampant in their last Champions League visit to Lisbon - a 5-0 mauling in their Last 16 first leg tie in 2022. On the same night, Gyokeres started Coventry City’s 2-0 away defeat at Cardiff City.

After notching 43 goals in 116 games for Coventry, he attracted the attention of Amorim and Sporting sealed a deal worth around £20m in 2023. “I only brought Gyokeres to Sporting because of Ruben Amorim,” his agent later outlined.

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Cue the inevitable links with Manchester United, which have now only been heightened by his treble against City.

The Sweden international has insisted he is not plotting a reunion with Amorim in Manchester with the coach also already pointing to his £83.9million release clause as a potential sticking point.

“I will not take any of Sporting’s players in January,” Amorim told reporters last week. “Gyokeres costs €100m. It's very complicated.”

It is certainly complicated for United and Dan Ashworth, who was technical director at Brighton & Hove Albion when they sold Gyokeres to Coventry for £1m in 2021. The Championship club made a £19m profit on him two years later and are set for another influx.

Coventry included a 15 percent sell-on clause in his Sporting deal, which reduces to 10 percent should he reach certain success benchmarks. It means Sporting will try and hold out for more than they might have done otherwise given the portion they will lose to Coventry.

United, meanwhile, have to watch spending limits. They recorded a net spend of more than £100m this summer and have shelled out money on hefty compensation packages.

United paid Newcastle United £10m for Ashworth himself while Erik ten Hag will be handed around £17m in sacking payment. A further £8.3m has been handed to Sporting to prise Amorim out of his contract early.

These costs count towards spending limits for the three-year financial cycle, with the club recording a £113m annum loss in their latest figures, though chiefs are confident they will not breach cash regulations.

But Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be mindful of the cashflow, having already axed 250 staff jobs and relinquished Sir Alex Ferguson’s ambassadorial role as of next summer to cut down on spending.

Any approach, of course, hinges on whether Ashworth and his colleagues believe Gyokeres is a worthwhile punt for the cost. His 23 goals in 17 matches this season, following last term’s 43 in 50, is an extraordinary ratio.

But the Premier League is a different beast to Portugal and the Championship. His price might be too high for the risk - but if United do make him their primary target, they might be backed into a corner and be required to pay a premium.