Manchester United have been told what they must do to have a chance of signing Viktor Gyokeres as Ruben Amorim ponders a move for the striker.

United have been heavily linked with a move for the Sporting Lisbon star in recent weeks. The rumours began intensifying after the club appointed Amorim as their new head coach following the departure of Erik ten Hag.

Amorim managed Gyokeres during his time in charge of Sporting and was the club's head coach when the striker completed a £20million move from Coventry City in the summer of 2023. Gyokeres scored 45 goals in all competitions last season to help the Portuguese club win the league title under Amorim's leadership.

This season saw Gyokeres continue his impressive form for Sporting, scoring 24 goals in 21 appearances, 23 of which came before Amorim's move to United. Now reports continue to swirl claiming that Amorim will want to bring the Sweden international to Old Trafford.

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Reports have suggested that Gyokeres may be available for a transfer next summer with a fee worth £60million, despite having an £83million release clause in his contract. Dr. Rob Wilson, who is a professor of Applied Sports Finance at Sheffield Hallam University, has explained what United will need to do this season to have a chance of signing Gyokeres.

"To afford Viktor Gyokeres this summer, I believe that Manchester United have to earn Champions League qualification," Dr. Wilson told OLBG.

"The Champions League would give them some flexibility in the transfer market because the PSR headroom is almost non-existent now at Manchester United, and what you need to remember is a club like that, if they're not playing in [the] Champions League, they have to pay a bit more to get players in and pay them more in wages.

"It's kind of gone under the radar how well they executed a transfer strategy last summer because there were fees that were generated from sales but the wage reductions were significant and that therefore helps them with the PSR calculation on an ongoing basis.

"But I think they'd need to get into the top four to get Gyokeres. Ruben Amorim's history also shows that he likes to coach and develop players, so it might be a case of him striking with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee and developing them, rather than buying talent.

"That would be the most efficient way for the club to find success."