The question of whether Coventry City sold Viktor Gyökeres too soon is one that continues to spark debate among fans and football analysts alike, with the numbers surrounding his transfer journey painting a striking picture of both financial success and what might have been.
The Transfer & Financial Return for Coventry City
Coventry initially secured Gyökeres on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion in January 2021 before making the deal permanent that summer for a reported £1 million (approximately €1.2 million). After two and a half highly productive seasons with the Sky Blues, during which he established himself as one of the Championship’s most lethal strikers, the club agreed to sell him to Portuguese giants Sporting CP in July 2023 for an initial £18 million, rising to a potential £21 million (€24 million) with add-ons. This represented a staggering 2,000% return on their original investment – a windfall that proved transformative for the club. Coventry used the proceeds to strengthen their squad, invest in training ground facilities, and stabilize their financial position, which had been strained by years of off-field challenges including ground-sharing arrangements and league relegations.
Crucially, the sale included a 10% sell-on clause, which became highly valuable when Gyökeres made a blockbuster move to Arsenal in August 2025 for a fee of €65.8 million (around £56 million). Based on this transfer, Coventry is set to receive approximately €4.5 million (about £3.8 million) from the clause, adding further to their total earnings from the player – bringing their overall haul to roughly £24.8 million (€28.5 million) from an initial outlay of just £1 million.
His Current Value & On-Field Impact
Since leaving Coventry, Gyökeres has gone from strength to strength. At Sporting CP, he scored 32 goals in 57 appearances across all competitions, helping the club win the Taça de Portugal and establish himself as one of Europe’s most in-form forwards. His move to Arsenal has seen him adapt seamlessly to the Premier League, notching 15 goals and providing 8 assists in his first 25 games for the North London side. As of 2026, his market value has soared dramatically: Transfermarkt rates him at €70 million (£60 million), Fotmob values him at €74.2 million (£63.5 million), and some industry reports suggest he could command upwards of €82.6 million (£71 million) in a competitive transfer market.
The Debate Over Timing
On one hand, selling when they did made sound business sense for Coventry. The £21 million fee was significantly higher than any offer they had received previously, and for a club operating outside the Premier League, such a sum was impossible to turn down – it provided the financial foundation to build a sustainable team capable of challenging for promotion. On the other hand, Gyökeres’ rapid rise to elite status means the club missed out on even larger potential fees had they retained him for another season, especially if they had earned promotion to the Premier League. Additionally, his goals and leadership were instrumental to Coventry’s push for the top flight, and his departure left a noticeable gap in their attack that took time to fill.
Ultimately, while the financial gain was undeniable and critical for the club’s future, the scale of his subsequent success means many fans wonder what could have been if they had held onto him a little longer
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