Viktor Gyokeres’ transfer to Arsenal has been one of the biggest signings in this summer transfer period. The Gunners had very difficult negotiations with Sporting CP, which went on for weeks. But both parties managed to find common ground, allowing the Swedish footballer to move to London.
Arsenal have been looking for a top striker over the past couple of seasons, with many pundits suggesting a clinical goalscorer could be the missing piece of the puzzle. Now, with Gyokeres in the team, it seems like the team has finally found what it was looking for. But what can this attacking footballer potentially bring to the club and can he be the difference maker in helping the Gunners to bring home silverware this season?
Arsenal’s Missing Piece That Can Increase Their Odds of Winning the Premier League
Many fans argued for a couple of years that Arsenal lacked a strong striker who could bring at least 20 goals. Players like Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, and Eddie Nketiah were the only ones capable of putting balls in the net. But they failed to show consistency and goal-scoring abilities.
These players also lacked fitness and struggled to maintain good form. The injury crisis among Arsenal’s forward line even led Arteta to start Merino at centre forward multiple times in the 24/25 season. This unconventional change did provide some results, but only in the short term.
Now, with Viktor Gyokeres’ availability, it seems like these troubles could be left in the past. The fans and the manager strongly believe that the Swedish striker will provide the crucial goals that they lack. If we check the latest football odds, we’ll notice that even the bookmakers believe Gyokeres can help Arsenal fight for the title.
But there is more to it than judging from stats and a squad list. The striker must first adapt to Arteta’s footballing philosophy and the club’s playing style. This isn’t an easy thing to do, and it may require months in order for the squad to function as one.
If Gyokeres adapts quickly, then Arsenal and its fans will be in for a treat. We saw his phenomenal goal-scoring instinct at Sporting, where he scored 97 goals in 102 matches. On top of that, he also packs impressive stamina, a strong physique, and explosive pace.
We must not forget that Gyokeres has the ability to hold up the play and allow his teammates to join the attack. Plus, he’s very good at passing and initiating clever balls. He has a passing accuracy of around 83.2%, a great percentage for a striker. At Sporting, he managed to assist 28 goals.
How Did Gyokeres Perform During Arsenal’s Pre-Season?
There’s a thought circulating among fans about Viktor Gyokeres joining Arsenal a bit late. He signed after the team played its first two pre-season friendlies. But it wasn’t all bad, as he did show off his skills in the following three events.
Fans saw the Swede make his debut against Tottenham, where he only played a couple of minutes. He came on as a substitute for Havertz in the 77th minute and instantly started pressing the opponent. Luck wasn’t on his side as the striker failed to help his team score. The match ended in a 0-1 loss.
For his second friendly match against Villarreal, Gyokeres made it through to the starting 11 for the first time. This was another somewhat disappointing performance, which didn’t result in a goal. But Mikel Arteta didn’t think that way. He praised him for showing great skills when attacking certain spaces.
The striker’s big moment came in the Emirates Cup. This was Arsenal’s fifth and final pre-season match, where they played against Athletic Bilbao. The Swede finally scored his first goal while Arsenal won 3-0.
Gyokeres scored a brilliant and powerful header from the middle of the box that went straight past the goalkeeper. He continued making some good attacking runs and didn’t stop pressing the opposition players the entire time. Arteta let him on the pitch for 71 minutes before giving him some rest.
It seems like Gyokeres keeps getting better and better with every new appearance he makes. Let’s see if he continues the same way in the upcoming matches and can help the team to overcome some of the challenges they’ll inevitably face this season.
Arsenal’s Tactic With Gyokeres
Arteta used Gyokeres in a 4-3-3 system during pre-season, where he played as the only striker. We were able to notice that he performed better with an attacking midfielder behind him rather than 3 central midfielders. This proved true against Athletic Bilbao, where he played in front of Martin Odegaard.
If this formation works best for the striker, then Arteta won’t have any issues using it all season. He has several players that he can rotate in each attacking position. Havertz can cover for Odegaard, while Madueke, Nwaneri, and Trossard can act as backups for Saka and Martinelli.
When Gabriel Jesus returns from his injury, he may also play alongside Gyokeres. In the past, the Swedish striker performed well even in a 4-4-2 formation.
However, if Arteta wants to play both attacking players, he will most likely put Jesus on the left wing. Playing with two strikers up front isn’t something that Arteta has preferred so far in his career.
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