Pressure, goals, and record-breaking jersey sales discussed by Arsenal's newest player Viktor Gyökeres in a talk with CNN Sports
Arsenal have made a bold move in the transfer market, signing Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting Lisbon for a reported fee of £55 million plus add-ons. The Swedish forward, who has Hungarian ancestry, will wear the number 14 jersey, previously worn by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
Gyökeres' acquisition is a statement of intent from the North London club, who have not won the Premier League since 2004. Mikel Arteta, Arsenal manager, expressed delight in signing the forward, stating that he believes Gyökeres will fit well into the team's system.
Born in Stockholm on June 4, 1998, Gyökeres began his professional football career rising through the youth ranks of IF Brommapojkarna in Sweden. He made his senior debut in 2015 with Brommapojkarna, scoring 25 goals in 67 appearances and helping the club secure promotion to Sweden's second-tier Superettan league.
In 2018, Gyökeres moved to England to join Brighton & Hove Albion, initially playing mostly for their Under-21s. He only made 8 senior appearances for Brighton without featuring in the Premier League, scoring once in the EFL Cup. During this period, he had loan spells at German side St Pauli and Welsh club Swansea City.
Gyökeres then joined Coventry City, where he significantly boosted his reputation in English football. In 2023, he transferred from Coventry to Sporting Lisbon for around £20 million. At Sporting, he excelled, scoring 97 goals and providing 28 assists across 102 matches in two seasons. His standout performance includes a prolific 54 goals in 52 games during one season, helping Sporting win the Portuguese league and cup. Notably, he scored a Champions League hat-trick against Manchester City.
Gyökeres' style—characterized by pace, goal-scoring instinct, the ability to hold up the ball, and sharp finishing—fits Arsenal’s tactical needs better than previous forwards like Kai Havertz.
Arsenal have been without a pure, powerful goalscoring forward in recent seasons. Arteta acknowledged Gyökeres' impressive track record and emphasized the need to replicate his success with Arsenal. Gyökeres himself spoke about his mentality, stating that it has been shaped by his unconventional path to success and the challenges he faced along the way.
Since joining Arsenal, Gyökeres has broken the team's all-time shirt sales record within days of joining. Thousands of Hong Kong-based Arsenal supporters have been seen imitating Gyökeres' iconic mask celebration at the team's open training session. Gyökeres' shirt sales have surpassed those of Arsenal stars Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice.
Gyökeres hopes to get his first on-the-pitch taste of the Premier League with Arsenal, although he is currently in Asia. He expressed excitement about joining the North London club and hopes to repay the faith shown in him by Arsenal.
Table: Gyökeres' Career Path and Performance
| Club | Period | Appearances | Goals | Notable Facts | |------------------------|-------------|-------------|-------|-----------------------------------------| | IF Brommapojkarna | 2015-2018 | 67 | 25 | Helped promotion to Superettan | | Brighton & Hove Albion | 2018-2021 | 8 | 0* | Mainly U21; scored once in EFL Cup | | St Pauli (loan) | During Brighton tenure - specifics N/A | N/A | N/A | Loan spell in Germany | | Swansea City (loan) | During Brighton tenure - specifics N/A | N/A | N/A | Loan spell in Wales | | Coventry City | Dates pre-2023 | N/A | N/A | Broke through at Championship level | | Sporting Lisbon | 2023 | 102 | 97 | Dominant scorer; Portuguese league and cup winner, Champions League hat-trick vs Man City |
(*No Premier League goals for Brighton, only one EFL Cup goal)[1][2][4][5]
With Gyökeres' signing, Arsenal aim to re-capture the Premier League title that has eluded them since 2004. Arteta discussed the external expectations on Gyökeres, stating that they believe in him and the team's ability to deliver results. Gyökeres, for his part, stated that his main goal is to help the team with his qualities and win as many games as possible.
Analysts expect Gyökeres' overall shirt sales to widen the gap even further, as he continues to break records and excite Arsenal fans worldwide.
- The acquisition of Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting Lisbon, a move worth £55 million plus add-ons, indicates Arsenal's intent to return to dominance in the Premier League, a title they last held in 2004.
- Mikel Arteta believes that Gyökeres' goal-scoring instinct, pace, and ability to hold up the ball can address Arsenal's recent lack of a potent forward, a position that has been vacant in the team for some seasons.
- European football enthusiasts and sports analysts are closely monitoring Gyökeres' performance in the Premier League as his dynamic style could potentially influence the outcomes of inter-league sports-betting.
- With Gyökeres joining Arsenal, European leagues are about to witness a fierce contender, as the Swedish-Hungarian forward is poised to bring his impressive goal-scoring record to the North London club, a record he accrued during his time with IF Brommapojkarna, Brighton & Hove Albion, St Pauli (loan), Swansea City (loan), Coventry City, and Sporting Lisbon.
