The scout who unearthed Manchester United transfer target Viktor Gyokeres has admitted that the superstar striker was very much the unfinished article when he first discovered him.

Gyokeres has emerged as a top priority for Ruben Amorim after the Red Devils head coach worked with the gifted Swedish striker at Sporting CP, and he's looking to bolster United's flailing attack this year in the transfer market. Gyokeres first announced himself to UK football fans after a stunning spell at Coventry City where his knack for finding the back of the net saw Amorim recruit him for his former side.

Since then, the 26-year-old has caught the eye with a series of astonishing performances, including a Champions League hat-trick against Manchester City earlier in the season. Europe's elite have now turned their attention to the forward after he became the continent's top scorer in 2024 – although the possibility of a move to Old Trafford this month looks very slim, especially after Amorim promised he wouldn't immediately raid his old team.

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While Gyokeres' raw talent has long been evident, the man who unearthed the striker concedes that he was something of a diamond in the rough. David Eklund first discovered a 12-year-old Gyokeres playing for Swedish fourth division side Aspudden-Tellus.

He then saw enough in the young forward to bring him to Brommapojkarna, a club in the Sweden's top league, known as the Allsvenskan. However, Eklund couldn't anticipate the heights that Gyokeres would reach, especially after he exhibited a very limited technical ability.

"He wasn't very good on the ball," Eklund told Flashscore. "If you think about it, we had players who were good on the ball, and he was OK, nothing marvellous, but when you put him in the box and get the ball to him he's going to score.

"He was very good at that. I think everyone thought he was a reasonable player, but he wasn't the star of the academy. He was good, he scored goals and that's why I saw something in him. He was a very strong player, good at finishing, good at scoring goals. Very similar to what he is today."

Gyokeres proved his coaches wrong as he left Sweden for Brighton in 2017 after scoring 25 goals in 67 appearances for Brommapojkarna. In his first season for the Seagulls he scored seven in nine for the club's U23s team, and one goal for the senior side in a League Cup game.

A loan move to Bundesliga side St. Pauli followed where seven goals earned him another loan switch to Swansea City. However, it was his transfer to Coventry City that made everyone sit up and take notice after he bagged 43 goals in 116 appearances.

Gyokeres' progress was seen to be entwined with his temperament, something that was initially not obvious, according to Eklund. However, the scout believes his time in England helped carve the player into the ruthless goal-getter he is today.

"When he was young, he didn't talk much. He was nice, friendly with his teammates," Eklund added. "It was when he left for England that he realised he had to be tougher."

Gyokeres certainly developed a toughness to his game and has been rewarded with 73 goals in 78 starts so far for the Portuguese outfit. The Sporting forward, who is apparently looking to further his career elsewhere, has a release clause worth £83million.

While it's unlikely United bring him to Manchester this January, Sporting could do business for nearer around £60m (€70m) in the summer, according to The Athletic, should Amorim want to team back up with the prolific striker.