Manchester United Complete £110M Signing of Viktor Gyökeres, Who Inherits Garnacho’s No. 17 ShirtManchester United have completed the signing of Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyökeres in a club-record £110 million transfer. The 26-year-old Swedish forward will wear the No. 17 shirt previously assigned to Alejandro Garnacho.
The deal, finalized on June 27, 2025, makes Gyökeres the most expensive signing in United’s history, surpassing the £89 million paid for Paul Pogba in 2016.Gyökeres joins the club after an extraordinary season with Sporting, where he scored 43 goals and registered 15 assists in 50 appearances. His standout moments included a Champions League hat-trick against Manchester City.
Known for his strength, dribbling (87 completed), aerial prowess (12 headed goals), and creativity (56 key passes), Gyökeres is seen as an ideal fit for Rúben Amorim’s dynamic 3-4-3 formation.
The record-breaking fee reflects Manchester United’s urgent need for a proven No. 9, especially after Rasmus Højlund’s inconsistent performances and Joshua Zirkzee’s loan move to Anderlecht. Gyökeres follows the £62.5 million signing of Matheus Cunha, with negotiations still ongoing for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, signaling a complete rework of United’s attacking structure.Gyökeres will take over the No. 17 jersey, recently vacated by Garnacho, who is close to sealing a £50 million move to Napoli.
Garnacho was reportedly asked to find a new club following a post-match fallout with Amorim after United’s Europa League final defeat to Tottenham. Though his 2023 bicycle kick against Everton won the FIFA Puskás Award, his inconsistent output and public criticism of the club’s performance reportedly contributed to his exit.
Reactions from fans have been mixed. Some welcomed Gyökeres enthusiastically, calling him the striker United have long needed, while others expressed frustration over the quick reassignment of Garnacho’s shirt number.The financial backing for the Gyökeres deal comes from INEOS, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Despite United missing out on an estimated £100 million in Champions League revenue, Garnacho’s sale—classified as pure profit under Profit and Sustainability Rules—has helped fund the move.With Marcus Rashford out on loan at Aston Villa and Jadon Sancho expected to leave, Amorim is reshaping his forward line around elite, high-impact players like Gyökeres. His debut is now highly anticipated, as United look to return to Premier League title contention.