Viktor Gyokeres: Who is Luis Suarez, Sporting Lisbon's 'replacement' for Arsenal target?

Replacing Viktor Gyokeres might seem easier on paper than it will be in reality — but Sporting Lisbon believe they have found the man for the job. The club have reportedly signed a 27-year-old Colombian forward who just topped the scoring charts in Spain’s second division. But can he truly replace arguably the greatest striker Sporting have had in recent history?

When the towering Swede arrived from Coventry City after two standout seasons in the English Championship, few predicted the kind of impact he would go on to make. Gyokeres was not a cheap signing, but he repaid Sporting every penny. In his debut season under Ruben Amorim, he fired the Lions to a league title, scoring 29 goals and registering 10 assists — staggering numbers on their own. Even more astonishingly, he bettered that tally the following campaign, even after Amorim's departure. Sporting retained their title and Gyokeres bagged 39 goals — a figure eclipsed only by Eusebio (1968 and 1973) and Hector Yazalde (1974) in Portuguese football history.

A near-impossible act to follow

It is clear that Gyokeres is on his way out, with Arsenal reportedly closing in on the striker. Reports suggest he is even willing to take a pay cut to make the move happen. But the big question now is: how can Sporting replace him?

Fans had hoped young Danish forward Conrad Harder, already part of the squad, would step up. But Sporting have moved swiftly in the transfer market to find a more direct replacement — and they believe they have one.

Who is Luis Suarez?

Enter Luis Suarez — not the Uruguayan legend, but the Colombian striker who has been well known to Spanish football fans. The 27-year-old has played for no fewer than six Spanish clubs, including a brief stint at Marseille, but it is at Almeria where he has truly made his mark.

Following the club's relegation, Suarez enjoyed a prolific 2024-25 season in the Segunda Division, scoring 27 goals and providing eight assists. That output eclipsed even his memorable 2019-20 season with Real Zaragoza, when he netted 19 goals.

The deal is reportedly complete and only awaits the finalisation of Gyokeres's departure before being officially announced. Suarez is known for his pace and work ethic, but on the surface, he may not look like someone capable of replacing even half of what Gyokeres delivered.

However, Sporting Lisbon believe otherwise. After all, they have performed transfer miracles before. Could this be another one?

This article was originally published on Fotbal Portal.