The Turf Moor crowd let out an almighty sigh of relief when the final whistle blew at the end of Burnley’s nail-biting 1-0 win over Coventry City in mid-January.
Few centre-forwards had given the Championship’s most watertight backline an afternoon like this; Viktor Gyokeres striking fear into everyone of a claret-and-blue persuasion with his boot-quaking combination of pace, power and finesse.
“He showed everything today of what he is,” Kompany told Lancs Live; Burnley succeeding where so many have failed this term, keeping Gyokeres off the scoresheet.
“We have a backline that is usually very aggressive and able to recover the ball on the first impact. With him, it takes you two, three or even four times.
“He is able to square you up and create threat towards goal. His final balls are good. Not just where he has to shoot but how he brings other players into the game.”
Vincent Kompany’s Burnley like Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres
Gyokeres may have drawn a blank in both of his meetings with Burnley this season. But, having scored 19 goals and set up eight more – dragging Coventry from the bottom of the table to within touching distance of the play-offs – if Burnley are a ‘Premier League team in-waiting’ then Viktor Gyokeres is a ‘Premier League striker in-waiting’ too.
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Kompany, according to The Sun, had placed Gyokeres right at the top of his January wishlist four months ago. It quickly became apparent, however – with the Swede’s price-tag rising to somewhere in the region of £25 million – Burnley would have to wait until the summer before stepping up their interest (TEAMtalk).
Now, while promotion is not yet secure, it’s as good as. Burnley are 16 points clear of third-place Middlesbrough. They can technically be confirmed as a top-flight side again with wins in their next two outings; Sunderland and Boro on the horizon. Though taking six points of both may be easier said than done.
Either way, Premier League football – and a Premier League budget – could potentially make a deal that would have been impossible in the Championship, well, that little bit more possible.
“(Gyokeres) is absolutely incredible,” fellow Swede and Rotherham United goalkeeper Viktor Johansson tells Aftonbladet. “He is really big in the Championship. He is talked about everywhere and all the time.
“One hundred percent (he is ready for the Premier League).”
In other news, Report: Bayern Munich now very interested in signing 21-year-old Arsenal-owned player
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