Viktor Gyokeres Explains Why He Picked Arsenal Over Premier League Rivals
- Viktor Gyokeres has finally signed for Arsenal from Portuguese giants Sporting CP after weeks of speculation
- The Swedish striker was recently linked with Manchester United, but a reunion with Ruben Amorim wasn't possible
- In his first interview as an Arsenal player, the 27-year-old explained why he had to pick the Gunners over the Red Devils
New Arsenal signing Viktor Gyokeres has explained why he signed for Arsenal over Premier League rivals, including Manchester United.
Source: Getty Images
Arsenal and Sporting CP were engaged in weeks of negotiations. The two sides agreed on a deal worth €63.5million (KSh 9.6 billion) plus €10 million (KSh 1.5 billion) in add-ons.
Most Gunners fans have been calling on the club to sign a striker after Arsenal fell short in the Premier League for each of the last three seasons.
They finished second in every campaign and will be serious title contenders next season.
Will Viktor Gyokeres help Arsenal win Premier League?
Arsenal struggled to win matches this season, registering 14 draws in 38 games, and despite boasting one of the best attacks, they often failed to score at crucial moments.
Last season’s champions Liverpool drew nine games but notched five more wins than Mikel Arteta’s side, though they scored 17 fewer goals than Arne Slot’s team.
Gyokeres scored 54 goals in 52 matches last season and notched 33 league goals in each of the previous two campaigns.
Arsenal’s top scorer last season was Bukayo Saka with 20 goals, while starting striker Kai Havertz netted 15. Therefore, Gyokeres could be the answer.
Why did Gyokeres pick Arsenal?
Gyökeres was heavily linked with Manchester United, now managed by his former boss, Ruben Amorim.
Speaking in his first interview as an Arsenal player, the Swedish star said that Arsenal was the only club on his mind.
“I just felt that it was the right club for me,” he said. “What I heard from Mikel and Andrea when I was speaking with them, and just what I've seen in the past years, how they've been playing football.
"When I was playing against Arsenal last season, I could really feel it was a very strong team and very difficult to play against. That made me choose Arsenal, and of course all the history the club has and the massive fanbase."
He will wear the iconic No. 14 shirt, previously worn by club legend Thierry Henry. Interestingly, his first competitive match for Arsenal will be against Amorim’s Man United on August 17 at Old Trafford.
What did fans say about Arsenal signing Viktor Gyokeres?
@Blue_Footy:
"Nobody is worried about Arsenal winning the league with Gyokeres. Even Sporting Lisbon didn't bother to include add-ons based on winning titles. But we shall see..."
@Emzyl_:
"We don't care about quality of the Gyokeres announcement video, Arsenal got a certified bagsman that's all that matters."
Source: Getty Images
@aviv_lavi
"So gassed about Gyokeres but Arsenal media team bottled the announcement video. There I said it"
@Deb_236
"While people are crying over the announcement video, I’m here daydreaming about Gyokeres winning us our 14th PL Title."
Other players Arsenal can target
After completing the Gyokeres' transfer, Arsenal have now landed one of the most sought-after players in Europe in a position they desperately needed to fill.
Gyokeres will now provide competition for Kai Havertz, with Gabriel Jesus also still at the club. The Brazilian is recovering from an ACL injury.
The Gunners have also been linked with a move for Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze. Eze had a standout season in South London last season, where he led the Eagles to FA Cup victory.
The England international can slot in as a number 10 or as one of the left wingers, where Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have failed to impress consistently.
Are Man United fans turning on Amorim?
In a related story, TUKO.co.ke reported that Man United fans appeared to slam Ruben Amorim for saying they are going to suffer.
The Man United boss endured a difficult first six months at the club and repeatedly mentioned “suffering” in his press conferences.
Amorim and Man United will face Gyokeres and Arsenal in their opening game next season.
Martin Moses, head of sports desk, contributed to this article by adding details about Arsenal's transfer plans.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
