Viktor Gyokeres made Man Utd admission before snub for Arsenal amid 'upset' with Ruben Amorim

One of the central storylines surrounding Arsenal's trip to Manchester United will be the reunion between Ruben Amorim and Viktor Gyokeres.

During their time together at Sporting Lisbon, the £63.5million Gunners' forward took Portuguese football by storm and struck fear into countless European defences. Following Gyokeres' hat-trick against Manchester City in the Champions League - Amorim's farewell home fixture as Sporting boss - many anticipated the forward would eventually join him at Old Trafford.

Whilst United were reportedly offered the opportunity to sign him by Sporting, the Sweden international was solely focused on Mikel Arteta's project, regardless of Amorim's presence in the dugout at the Theatre of Dreams. Prior to their first encounter since Amorim left the Portuguese giants, here's a look at their relationship following their separation.

Gyokeres' reason for United rejection

United stood ready to compete with Arsenal for Gyokeres' services, yet the former Coventry City striker had his heart set on the Gunners. He clarified his stance when questioned about his choice following the official announcement.

He said: "There were other clubs, of course, but this wasn't a hard choice. I chose Arsenal. When I was playing against Arsenal last season [in the Champions League], I could really feel it was a very strong team and very difficult to play against.

"That made me choose Arsenal, and of course all the history the club has and the massive fanbase. It's been amazing to see all the support that they have already given me before I even arrived. That's what it's all about. It's going to be very nice to see them in the stadiums as well."

'Upset' with Amorim

Portuguese publication Record reported Gyokeres' agent, Hasan Cetinkaya, was left "hurt" by the United manager. Besides representing the Arsenal striker, he also acts for former United defender Victor Lindelof.

After an eight-year stint at the club, the Red Devils decided against offering him a new contract, leading to his departure on a free transfer. It's believed Lindelof was keen to stay and compete for his place, but Amorim chose to sever ties with the 31-year-old.

This decision reportedly left Cetinkaya upset. At the time, it was suggested the door has been closed for a potential move to Old Trafford for Gyokeres due to Lindelof's exit. However, this seemed to matter little as it became clear the striker had set his sights on Arsenal, while United had already ruled out a move for him prior to signing Benjamin Sesko.

True feelings revealed

Gyokeres started to rebuild his career at Coventry City, but it was under Amorim he truly blossomed into a top forward. Despite his fondness for the United boss, he confesses he was taken aback by his departure.

When asked about Amorim's decision to leave last season, Gyokeres said: "It was a shock. It's never happened to me to see a manager leave in the middle of the season when everything was going well. It was surprising, but I totally understand his decision."

When asked about potential links with forward Gyokeres back in April, Amorim had some candid words. He seemed to imply the forward wouldn't have been interested in a move to United unless they secured a Champions League spot.

The United manager said: "I didn't talk to Viktor. But if a player only wants to join Manchester United to play Champions League then that player will not come to Manchester United. We want players who want to represent United and not players who wanna play only certain competitions."

Gyokeres' admission regarding United

Amorim has painstakingly tried to instil his tactical philosophy at United, for better or worse. Despite moments where it appeared the Portuguese boss was making things more difficult for himself by adhering to his 3-4-3 formation, he remained steadfast in his commitment to the playing style which brought him success at Sporting.

One individual who thrived under Amorim's tactics was Gyokeres. The forward has previously admitted as much in another interview, saying: "We won two championships in a row, for the first time in 71 years.

"It's an incredible achievement, and of course, Ruben Amorim played a big role in that. I can't thank him enough. The style of play we had under his orders suited me perfectly."

If Gyokeres had opted for United, his comments about his former manager's playing style indicate he would have been confident of achieving success at Old Trafford. But as fate has it, he now heads there to inflict further pain on Amorim.

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