Ahead of a summer transfer window where several top clubs are on the hunt for a prolific striker to spearhead their attack, Viktor Gyökeres stands out as the most compelling option available.

Since making the switch from English Championship side Coventry City to Sporting CP in the summer of 2023, a deal reportedly worth €24 million including add-ons, the Swedish forward has been in sensational form, elevating his game to new heights and turning heads across Europe.

Since completing that move, the Swedish striker has racked up a staggering 96 goals and 26 assists in 102 appearances across all competitions — clinching the league title in his debut season and guiding Sporting CP to their first domestic double in 23 years during his second.

Now poised for a summer exit, with a release clause in the region of €60 million, Europe’s elite are circling. Yet despite his prolific output, clubs remain cautiously optimistic, wary that beyond the numbers, there are lingering narratives that frame him as a potentially risky investment.

Gyökeres, now 26, is viewed as a late bloomer, having struggled to make a significant impact in his early career. It’s only in the past three years—playing in England’s second tier and Portugal’s top flight—that he truly began to shine.

However, the unsatisfying track record of recent goal machines exported from the Portuguese league raises concerns about a potential move for Gyökeres. Arsenal, widely regarded as his most serious suitor, is also weighing its options with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, making the decision even more complex.

Ahead of a potential summer transfer, we take a walk down memory lane to explore the journeys of six of the previous winners of the Bola de Prata, the award for the top scorers in the Portuguese Liga, who were exported to Europe’s elite leagues, and how they fared in their new footballing homes.

Six of Portugal Liga Top Scorers Who Went Abroad 

Mehdi Taremi: From FC Porto to Inter 

Top scorer in the 2022-23 season with 22 goals

Understandably, past the peak of his powers at the time of leaving Porto, having spent one final season after his Bola de Prata-winning campaign, scoring just 11 league goals before departing as a free agent to join Inter in the summer of 2024. He had previously claimed the Bola de Prata in 2019-20 with Rio Ave, netting 18 goals to share the honour with two others.

At 31, Mehdi Taremi joined Inter with modest expectations, embracing a supporting role behind established forwards Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram, players who have consistently delivered goals for the Nerazzurri.

With only the UEFA Champions League final left to cap his debut season, Taremi has registered four goals and seven assists in 43 appearances across all competitions, despite starting just 17 matches.

Yet, his readiness to accept a third or even fourth-choice role at Inter underscores a deeper truth: winning the Portuguese top scorer award might bring prestige, but it doesn’t always guarantee starring in Europe's elite leagues.

Darwin Nunez: Benfica Lisbon to Liverpool

Top scorer in 2021-22 season with 26 goals

Liverpool splashed a club-record £85 million to sign the Uruguayan striker in 2022, following a standout season with Benfica that saw him spearhead their remarkable run to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

He grabbed headlines with his performances on Europe’s premier club competition; first with a stunning brace in a 3-0 triumph over Barcelona, then by scoring in both legs against Liverpool in the quarter-finals, even as the Reds ultimately advanced.

His exploits made him one of Europe’s hottest prospects, with top clubs closely monitoring his progress throughout the season. He capped off the campaign as the Portugal Liga’s top scorer, netting 26 goals in 28 appearances.

By the end of his second season in Portugal, he had amassed an impressive 34 goals and four assists in 41 games across all competitions. That brought his total tally at Benfica to 48 goals and 14 assists over two seasons, a form that prompted Liverpool to beat rivals Manchester United to his signature.

Three years on, the former Almería forward has fallen well short of the expectations that followed his record-breaking move. With just 25 Premier League goals in 94 appearances, countless missed chances, and a string of underwhelming displays, Liverpool is now preparing to cut their losses and move him on this summer.

It stands as one of the more glaring transfer missteps of the modern era. While Darwin Núñez still carries the raw tools to evolve into a top-class forward, it is hard to excuse the lack of refinement in a 25-year-old with over 300 professional games under his belt, especially after such a hefty investment.

Carlos Vinicius: From Benfica to Tottenham Hotspur

Joint top scorer in 2019-20 with 18 goals

The Brazilian was one of three players to share the Bola de Prata during the COVID-19-disrupted season, alongside then-teammate Pizzi and Mehdi Taremi, who was with Rio Ave at the time.

Following that campaign, Carlos Vinícius secured a loan move to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, where he registered a seemingly impressive return of 10 goals in 22 appearances. However, a closer look beyond the numbers revealed a different truth. His impact was fleeting, and the figures flattered to deceive.

Ninety percent of his goals came in the Europa League and Cup games, against modest opposition, while he found the net just once in nine Premier League appearances. It was, perhaps, understandable since Harry Kane was the undisputed first choice under José Mourinho, leaving Vinícius with limited opportunities.

The following season saw him head to the Netherlands on loan with PSV Eindhoven, where he managed only seven goals in 38 appearances. He eventually returned to England, this time permanently, joining Fulham from Benfica for an undisclosed fee.

He scored just eight goals in 48 appearances during his first 18 months at Fulham, before spending the remainder of the season on loan at Galatasaray, where he added only two goals in 14 matches.

His inability to deliver consistently in decisive moments has meant no club has truly trusted him to lead their attack, a reality that casts further doubt on the weight and lasting credibility of Bola de Prata recognition.

Haris Seferovic: Benfica Lisbon

Top Scorer in 2018-19 with 23 goals

Swiss striker Haris Seferovic enjoyed a stellar campaign in front of goal that year, scoring 23 league goals, all from open play, to fire Benfica to their record-extending 37th league title.

At just 27, his form could not attract suitors, and he remained at the club until 2022. During that spell, he came close again in 2020–21, finishing just behind Pedro Gonçalves in the Golden Boot race with 22 goals.

At the start of the 2022–23 season, Seferovic joined Galatasaray on loan, where he managed just two goals in 13 appearances before the deal was terminated after six months. He then moved to Spain, joining Celta Vigo for the remainder of the campaign and scoring three times in 18 matches.

Following the expiry of his contract in 2023, he parted ways with Benfica and left Europe to sign for Al-Wasl in the United Arab Emirates. After 18 months there, he made the switch to fellow UAE club Al-Nasr SC, where he currently plays.

Jackson Martinez: FC Porto

Top Scorer in three consecutive seasons

At just 25, Jackson Martínez arrived at FC Porto bearing a reputation for relentless goalscoring, a reputation he quickly proved was no myth. The Colombian striker claimed the Bola de Prata in three successive seasons, beginning in his debut year.

With tallies of 26, 20, and 21 league goals, he outscored all challengers, establishing himself as one of Europe’s deadliest finishers. His prolific form sparked interest from the continent’s elite, with Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal famously coming close to sealing a deal.

Ultimately, Jackson Martínez made the switch to Atlético Madrid in a €35 million deal, becoming the club’s second most expensive signing at the time, trailing only his countryman Radamel Falcao, who had made the same journey from Porto four years earlier.

Martínez was brought in to fill the void left by Mario Mandzukic, the Croatian striker who departed for Juventus after just one season. Yet, ironically, Martínez himself lasted only a year in Madrid, scoring just three goals in 22 appearances in what was a brief and forgettable chapter.

He struggled to adapt to Diego Simeone’s demanding rhythm at Atlético Madrid. While teammates attributed his decline to a lack of confidence, the club’s hierarchy saw him as a misfit, unworthy of the club’s standards. After just one season, he was offloaded to the Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande.

Lisandro Lopez: FC Porto

Top scorer in the 2007-08 season with 24 goals

After two underwhelming seasons at Porto, the Argentine striker found his rhythm in the third, netting 24 league goals to clinch the top scorer award and guiding the club to a third straight league title.

A year later, Olympique Lyon swooped in with a €24 million move, securing him as the replacement for Karim Benzema, who had just joined Real Madrid.

López registered 84 goals and 24 assists in 168 appearances for Lyon across all competitions over four seasons, earning the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award in his debut campaign with the club.

The striker stands as one of the rare exceptions: a Bola de Prata winner who successfully transitioned to a bigger European league and truly made his mark beyond Portuguese shores.

Will Viktor Gyokeres Be Different?

Viktor Gyökeres’ success beyond Sporting CP and the Portuguese league hinges on the club that signs him. Playing to his strengths will fuel his hunger for success, and this will make him thrive at any level. Otherwise, matching his Sporting form may prove challenging.

Nevertheless, the chances are high that he goes on to enjoy a successful stint in one of Europe’s elite leagues, given how distinct he is from his predecessors. Gyökeres scored at nearly twice their rate and is also thriving with the Swedish national team.

However, he will be needed to replicate his decisiveness and consistency to make telling impact in leagues where the room for error is very minimal. His winning mentality will also be a huge asset for a future club.

At a club like Arsenal, the number of goals scored may not be the sole yardstick to measure success, but consistent decisive performances, especially in crucial moments when they'll need saving, will define his time.

Will Viktor Gyokeres Sign For Arsenal?

Strikers signed from the Portugal Liga have struggled to build strong reputations elsewhere, with Lisandro Lopez being the notable exception.

With Viktor Gyökeres poised to leave Sporting CP this summer and several top clubs expressing interest, it’s understandable that potential buyers are cautious, taking their time to weigh whether signing him will truly be worth the risk.

The reason is that Sporting, although having agreed to lower their demands, will still be keen to make the best of the situation. Arsenal is just one of many suitors interested in the star striker, although they appear more in need of his services.

For the first time since 1923-24, the club has failed to have any player reach double digits of goals in a single league season, as German midfielder Kai Havertz finish as their top scorer with nine goals.

Gyokeres will turn 27 next month and if a move goes wrong at this time, then the loss may become inevitable as there will hardly be any value on resale. Additionally, the time wasted will also prove costly come the end of the season.

Speaking after Sporting's Taca de Portugal final win over Benfica, Viktor Gyokeres responds to questions about his future and links with English club Arsenal.

“Let’s see, he said. It's hard for me to say. It’s football, you never know what’s going to happen in the summer. For me to say anything else, it's impossible.”

“I don't know anything, I tried to focus on the last few games, because it is so important and I don't want to think about anything else. If something is true we'll see.” he added when asked about the speculation linking him with Arsenal.

With the season officially over for the striker and his suitors, new updates are expected in the coming weeks, and one of them will definitely convey the information about Viktor Gyokeres' next destination.