The arrival of Viktor Gyokeres at London`s Arsenal has ignited immense expectations, and the player himself seems determined to handle this pressure. This is evidenced by the unprecedented demand for his No. 14 shirt (a number previously worn by club record-scorer Thierry Henry), which has become Arsenal`s fastest-selling kit in history. His appearance on the field in Singapore already sparked widespread excitement among fans.
Ahead of a potential debut in a friendly against Tottenham, head coach Mikel Arteta urged caution, noting that Gyokeres has only recently started training, and his match readiness will be assessed later.
Arsenal fans believe the Swedish forward will lead the team to long-awaited trophies: a first Premier League title in 22 years, or perhaps even a historic European Cup victory. These expectations are understandable, given his impressive statistics in Portugal. In 102 appearances for Sporting, Gyokeres scored 97 goals, provided 28 assists, averaged 3.7 shots per 90 minutes, and, most importantly, secured two titles. His 39 goals last season were the league`s best result since Mario Jardel`s performance in the 2001-02 season.
However, history shows that strikers successful in the Portuguese league, such as Jardel himself, Carlos Vinicius, or Darwin Nunez, do not always adapt to the English Premier League. This is largely due to the significantly lower level of competition in Portugal, where even the lowest-ranked teams by ELO ratings are comparable to the best teams in England`s League One.
Arsenal is confident that Gyokeres will avoid the fate of these “flops” thanks to his prior experience in English football (during his time at Coventry), his physical readiness for adapting to the league, and his complete fearlessness regarding what he knows will be the defining move of his career. The club was impressed by Gyokeres` urgency in pushing for a move to North London, as well as his desire for “revenge” after a disappointing spell at Brighton.
His performances in the Champions League also inspire optimism. Despite the small sample size, the 27-year-old terrorized Manchester City`s defense, netting a hat-trick (half of his six goals in the group stage). Even when penalties are subtracted, it`s clear that Gyokeres made a significant impact on some of Europe`s top defenders, including one of his new teammates.
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William Saliba, an Arsenal defender, previously admitted that playing against the Swede was “scary,” but he is now happy to see Gyokeres as part of his team. At Sporting, Gyokeres particularly excelled in counter-attacks, utilizing open space and driving toward goal with powerful shots, which became his trademark.
However, pundits like Rio Ferdinand express doubts about whether Gyokeres can create similar opportunities in the Premier League, where defenses operate entirely differently. Unlike how Arsenal played against Sporting, Premier League opponents will defend deeper and leave more players back to limit the transition threat posed by Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard.
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Gyokeres will need to adapt to a role as a striker who finishes attacks after long periods of possession, but Arsenal is not demanding immediate transformation from him. It`s worth noting that Kai Havertz already successfully fulfills the central forward role, contributing 27 goals and 11 assists in the Premier League and Champions League over two seasons, second only to Saka in goal involvements. It`s quite plausible that Havertz will start the season`s opening match.
Despite the hype surrounding Gyokeres, his transfer fee of $74 million (plus $11.5 million in add-ons) is not considered “superstar” money by 2025 standards. Arsenal initially sought a player who would complement Havertz rather than completely displace him, especially after failing to acquire their primary target, Alexander Isak. Mikel Arteta has gained another valuable attacking option—a striker whose relentless pursuit of shots and goals sharply contrasts with other choices in the squad. Gyokeres is intended to round out Arsenal`s attack, not fundamentally alter it. Therefore, assessing his success solely by “living up to the hype” might be an unfair criterion.
