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Viktor Gyokeres suspicion raised as Arteta faces unwanted Arsenal problem
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 7 Aug 2025 14:14 BST
- 4 min read
News
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has questioned whether Mikel Arteta wanted to sign Viktor Gyokeres this summer following his initial €65.8 million move to Arsenal.
The Sweden international was embroiled in a major transfer dispute with former club Sporting CP before finally completing his dream move to Arsenal in July.
Current ETV
Viktor Gyökeres
F (C)
Arsenal
Viktor Gyökeres
F (C)
Arsenal
ETV Range
€72M - €87.9M
The Gunners were locked in negotiations with Sporting for several weeks, after identifying Gyokeres as their top target, but Scholes believes the 27-year-old may struggle to adapt to Arteta’s system at the Emirates Stadium.
“[Arsenal needed a] centre forward, I just wonder if you've chosen the right one,” Scholes admitted on The Overlap Fan Debate.
“There was a lot of um-ing and ah-ing about it, I wonder if Mikel Arteta really wanted him? I'm not too sure, and he's got him now.
“He's had a really strange career path - Brighton, Coventry, and then he's gone to Sporting Lisbon and his goal record is absolutely brilliant - you can't take it away from him.”
Scholes added: “If there's any team that he could go to and create chances, then it should be Arsenal and it should be a really good match.
“The only thing I'd say against Gyokeres really is that with Sporting Lisbon, he's probably playing on the counter-attack a lot, in Europe especially.
“You think of Arsenal, they have the ball an awful lot, is he going to be clever enough to make these runs in behind? A lot of him that you see, he's sprinting from the halfway line almost.
“You can't keep up with him, he's ramming people, he's quick and he's smashing the ball in. Is he going to be that clever striker? We know [Alexander] Isak can do that - can Gyokeres do that?”
How did Viktor Gyokeres perform on his full Arsenal debut?
Gyokeres made his first Arsenal start during a 3-2 defeat to Villarreal on Wednesday, however he was unable to get off the mark for his new club.
The Sweden star took two shots during his 63 minutes on the pitch, while he only made 14 touches and completed just four of his seven attempted passes.
He will have the chance to score his first Arsenal goal in their final pre-season friendly against Athletic Club on Saturday, before the Gunners kick off their Premier League campaign versus Manchester United on 17 August.
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