Gyokeres has had a mixed start at Arsenal, scoring three goals in his first 10 appearances. Some pundits have been critical, but manager Mikel Arteta has been unequivocal in his praise.
“I just went there and hugged him and said thank you because the work he does is unbelievable for the team. The way he stretches the back four and the spaces he opens. How he hasn’t scored a goal today, I don’t know,” Arteta said after Arsenal’s 2-0 win over West Ham United, a result that lifted the Gunners above Liverpool to the top of the Premier League table.
The Swedish striker now looks ahead to Arsenal’s trip to Fulham after the international break, aiming to justify the hype—and the eye-watering transfer fee—on a consistent basis.
Viktor Gyokeres’s move to Arsenal was far from straightforward. Behind the headlines, there were offers from Manchester United, Saudi Arabia, and even Real Madrid, as well as tense negotiations with Sporting. Yet despite the controversy, he remains a player whose impact goes beyond goals—a striker whose movement, work rate, and presence already give Arsenal a different dynamic. Only time will tell if his Emirates career will fully match the record-breaking exploits he left behind in Portugal.