Thierry Henry gives his honest take on Arsenal’s £64m striker Viktor Gyokeres, urging fans to be patient as the prolific Swede aims to fire the Gunners to their first Premier League title in two decades.
When Arsenal decided to splash £64 million to bring Viktor Gyokeres to the Emirates as their leading striker, expectations immediately shot through the roof. The Swedish forward arrives with a formidable record at Sporting Lisbon – 97 goals and 28 assists in just two seasons – but as history shows, the Premier League is an entirely different test. And when a new No. 14 walks through Arsenal’s doors, the inevitable happens – Thierry Henry, the club’s most iconic striker, is asked for his opinion.
From Brighton Struggles to Championship Stardom
Gyokeres is no stranger to English football. His early years at Brighton were far from glamorous – just eight appearances in four seasons, constantly sent out on loan, and rarely given the chance to shine in the top flight. However, his fortunes changed at Coventry City, where he became a fan favourite for his relentless scoring in the Championship. His performances earned him a big move to Portugal, and now, a blockbuster return to the Premier League.
Henry’s Candid Assessment
Henry didn’t shy away from pointing out Gyokeres’ past struggles – but framed them as part of the forward’s growth.
“He already was in England, let’s not forget that. He was at Coventry, he couldn’t do it at Brighton. So, you can see a guy who already knows what struggling is and comes back from that. He’s more confident, and you can see from his body the way he’s looked after himself, the way he’s changed. You have a guy that’s a killer in the box – numbers don’t lie – and you have a team that creates a lot of chances, so it should be the perfect match.”
A Plea for Patience
In an age where fans expect instant success, Henry urged supporters to give Gyokeres time to adapt.
“It’s always unfair when I talk about a striker, it brings an unnecessary pressure because it goes above and beyond. What you want is people to be patient with him, and what is annoying right now is that people are not that patient anymore. They want the guy to perform straight away, score goals straight away and make us win straight away, which doesn’t happen often. Sometimes it doesn’t click straight away. I love when people show me what they can do, and then I can talk. Right now, people love to talk before the performance.”
The Bigger Picture
Henry’s message wasn’t just about Gyokeres. It was also a reminder that titles aren’t won by one player alone.
“I’m an Arsenal fan, I obviously hope he’s going to do well, bang goals for us, and guide us to a title, but he’s not going to do that alone. We have seen that goals don’t always assure you a title. We’ve seen guys with mad numbers, but they didn’t win anything. The team around them has to be good. From what I’ve seen from him and how he finishes, hopefully it’s going to be a great match and we can finally go back to lift that trophy. But, a lot of teams want to lift that.”
Early Signs of Promise
So far, the early signs have been encouraging. Gyokeres has already opened his Arsenal account, scoring in a 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Emirates Cup final – just his second friendly appearance for the club.
He is the first genuine out-and-out striker Arsenal have had since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette led the line in the 2021-22 season. The hope is that his clinical edge, combined with Arsenal’s creative supply, will finally bring back the Premier League title that has eluded them since 2004.
For now, Henry’s words ring loudest – patience, belief, and support. Gyokeres’ story is only just beginning at Arsenal, and the script is waiting to be written.