After months of searching, Arsenal have finally found their new number nine in the shape of Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres.
For a long while this summer it appeared as if Arsenal would sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig instead, a player considered the Gunners’ first choice.
However, RB Leipzig demanded huge money for Sesko, and whilst Arsenal will stress that Viktor Gyokeres wasn’t just the easy option as a result, their deal for the Swede makes a lot more sense financially.
Gyokeres will soon fly to London to undergo a medical with Arsenal, and there’s hope that the former Coventry City player can join Mikel Arteta’s side on their pre-season tour of Asia.
And despite scoring 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting over the past two seasons, it seems as if Gyokeres will still have to win over one or two fans in north London, who harbour some doubts.
Despite Gyokeres’ prolific record, some Arsenal supporters seem worried that the 27-year-old will struggle to make the step up from the Portugal Liga.
In fact, Arsenal had concerns about Gyokeres adapting to the Premier League themselves according to reports.
However, it seems as if Arteta believes he can get the best out of Gyokeres regardless, a striker who certainly knows how to score goals.
And if Arsenal fans ever needed convincing about Gyokeres being the right call, they need only to look at how determined the Swede has been to join the club.
According to reliable in-the-know account HandOfArsenal, Arsenal have been left ‘stunned’ and in ‘awe’ of Gyokeres’ determination to join Arteta’s side — something that can’t be quantified on an xG chart.
And following Gyokeres’ agent also forgoing a big pay out from the deal just in order to make it happen, it’s clear why the Swede deserves Thierry Henry’s iconic number 14 shirt, one he’ll wear with pride.
When it comes to players being determined to join Arsenal, Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze seems similarly keen to make the switch to north London.
Arsenal are preparing a bid for Eze, and although the Palace man is unlikely to skip training anytime soon like Gyokeres, he seems eager to wear red next term.
Arsenal have a number of iconic squad numbers available right now, and perhaps were he to join, Eze could actually take the number 10, worn by the likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere in recent years.
Perhaps there would be some temptation to give the number to Ethan Nwaneri after signing a new contract, but there’s plenty of time for that in the years to come.
But it bodes well that Arsenal are signing players who genuinely befit the number 14 and 10 shirts, which will always be iconic at the Emirates.
And given Gyokeres’ determination to join Arsenal, he deserves every chance to follow in the footsteps of Henry in north London.
