Having spent several years delaying the inevitable, Arsenal finalised the signing of a blockbuster striker.
Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyökeres has been identified as the solution to their centre forward issues and was officially announced Saturday with the excitement palpable among those of an Arsenal persuasion—just ask Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Arsenal have had to be patient to secure the services of their new Swedish sharpshooter but few can argue against the fact that the Gunners are adding an elite goalscorer to their squad.
But why have Arsenal been so desperate to bring Gyökeres to the Emirates Stadium?
What Viktor Gyökeres Brings to Arsenal
The simple answer is goals. First and foremost, Gyökeres has been acquired due to his excellent scoring rate, with 97 goals across his past two seasons for Sporting speaking volumes. While Portugal’s top tier hardly boasts the division’s sternest defences, producing such relentless numbers remains a sizable feat. Six of those goals also came in the Champions League last season, including a hat-trick against Manchester City.
Gyökeres does miss opportunities, of course, including a league-high 23 big chances in Liga Portugal last term, but the regularity with which he finds himself in goalscoring positions means goals are never far from view. Only 40.9% of his shots were on target in 2024–25 but he averaged 3.26 shots per 90, with volume sometimes taking precedence over accuracy. Given Arsenal’s ability to dominate possession and their array of creators, he shouldn’t find his service lacking at the Emirates.
The 27-year-old also provides Arsenal with a much-needed focal point in the final phase. The towering Sweden international stands at 6’2 and boasts a mighty physique capable of overpowering central defenders. Such physicality is essential to survival in English football, something Gyökeres already understands from his time with Brighton & Hove Albion and Coventry City.
Gyökeres’s frame also makes him an adept dribbler. While he’s unlikely to dance past opposition challenges, the sheer power of his speedy and direct bursts makes him an effective battering ram. He sits in the 97th percentile for take-ons attempted, progressive carries and carries into the penalty area in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year.
How Viktor Gyökeres Compares to Arsenal’s Forwards
Arsenal have been reliant on Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus to lead the line over the past few years—and very briefly Mikel Merino—and Gooners have been left underwhelmed by the duo’s profligacy. Neither are clinical in the final third despite their playmaking strengths, with Gyökeres overshadowing the pair with his ruthlessness.
Gyökeres leads Havertz and Jesus in most attacking metrics for the 2024–25 season based on domestic league performance—obviously it’s worth noting that the Swede is facing weaker opposition. Per 90, he bettered the Arsenal duo in goals scored, shots on target, shot on target percentage, non-penalty expected goals and shot creating actions. As an out-and-out No.9, he’s clear of Havertz and Jesus by some distance.
However, the Swedish striker doesn’t have it all his own way. His significantly lower pass completion percentage and fewer average touches than Havertz and Jesus suggests he will be less involved in Arsenal’s build-up play, dropping deep to knit things together less frequently. Instead of operating as a false nine, Gyökeres will have his back up against centre halves, playing on the last line of defence.
Gyökeres must also improve from a defensive standpoint to thrive in Arteta’s high-pressing system. He averaged fewer tackles, blocks and interceptions than Havertz and Jesus in their respective domestic leagues last season, while Jesus also bettered him for recoveries. The Sporting man will be asked to do significantly more defensive work in north London than he was in Lisbon.
How Arsenal Fans Have Reacted to the Move
Fanbases can often be divided by pricey new signings but the feeling among Arsenal supporters regarding Gyökeres is unanimous. The forward’s arrival is being fiercely celebrated and heralded as an excellent piece of business orchestrated by sporting director Andrea Berta.
The data offers even more hope to Arsenal fans dreaming of witnessing Gyökerers’s now famous celebration (see above) on a regular basis, with his goalscoring instincts having been proven consistently over the past two years in Portugal.
Of course, the pressure will immediately fall on Gyökeres’s shoulders after such a sizeable fee and given the impatience of the modern football supporter, but the evidence suggests that the Swede will be able to walk the walk at the Emirates.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Arsenal Signed Viktor Gyokeres: Analysis, Insight.