Sheringham claims Gyokeres is 'big problem in Arsenal setup'
Teddy Sheringham has told Manchester United not to bother with a move for Viktor Gyokeres, delivering a withering assessment of the Arsenal striker's impact at the Emirates so far.
With Mauricio Pochettino now installed as Manchester United head coach following Michael Carrick's dismissal and the Red Devils sitting in the Premier League relegation zone, attention has turned to how the club might strengthen in January. Benjamin Sesko is currently the only senior centre forward at Old Trafford, and he has missed much of the season with a shin problem. Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee can all operate as a striker, but none of them is considered a natural number nine.
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That has led to speculation about potential targets, with Gyokeres among the names mentioned. But Sheringham, speaking to BOYLE Sports, dismissed the idea outright.
Sheringham's verdict on Gyokeres
“What evidence have we got that Viktor Gyokeres could enhance this Manchester United team?” Sheringham said. “For me, he's a big problem in the Arsenal setup. Everything stops when it goes near him. Every now and again he does something useful and I think 'yeah, well done.' But in general, play stops when it goes to him so I don't think it would be the right signing at all. Signing players like Viktor Gyokeres from Arsenal is not what Manchester United should be about. If we're talking about Robin Van Persie playing out of his skin and coming in at the right, go and get him. You go and pay the big money because you know he's going to lead the line for you and win you titles. That's not the case with Viktor Gyokeres.”
Gyokeres joined Arsenal in the summer of 2025 and is under contract at the club until 2030. The Sweden international has scored 23 goals and provided six assists in 69 appearances across all competitions for Arsenal so far.
Context around the comments
Sheringham's remarks come amid wider reports linking Gyokeres with a move away from north London, with Juventus and Atletico Madrid both said to hold interest in the striker. Whether any of that speculation translates into concrete action remains to be seen, particularly with Arsenal yet to indicate any willingness to sell a player they committed to on a long term deal only last year.
For Manchester United, the comments effectively close the door on one potential solution to their forward line problems as Pochettino begins assessing his options for the January transfer window. Sesko's fitness issues and the lack of a recognised number nine elsewhere in the squad mean the Argentine is likely to continue exploring the market, even if Gyokeres has been ruled out by at least one well known former United forward.
