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Arsenal links to world-class attacker spark questions over Viktor Gyokeres’ future
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Arsenal have reason for optimism amid their pursuit of reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele, but it puts the future of summer signing Viktor Gyokeres in doubt.
Dembele is considering his options, according to Fichajes, as PSG is in the midst of an up-and-down season and the player’s contract expires in 2028.
The Frenchman scored 33 goals with 13 assists in 49 appearances while leading PSG to win the Champions League last season, but his production has taken a hit with 13 goals and eight assists in 28 matches.
Dembele is PSG’s top goalscorer in Ligue 1 with eight goals, but he has scored just once in the Champions League after netting eight times in last season’s edition. He has missed 11 matches this season due to a combination of injuries, which is more than twice as many games as he missed in 2024/25 (five).
Current ETV
Ousmane Dembélé
F (C), AM (L)
PSG
Ousmane Dembélé
F (C), AM (L)
PSG
ETV Range
€88.7M - €108.4M
A versatile attacker who is comfortable with the ball on either foot, there is a chance that he could play on the wing next to Gyokeres, but Dembele hit his best form when leading his team front and centre.
Dembele deal’s impact on Arsenal’s attack
There are plenty of questions about Arsenal’s attack, as it sometimes struggles to score in open play.
In the Premier League especially, opponents rarely afford the Gunners any space to operate, and Mikel Arteta’s tactics that rely on controlling possession and tempo often make things more difficult for the attackers.
The difference is stark when comparing two forward players’ outputs in the league versus the Champions League.
Gyokeres has eight Premier League goals in 24 appearances, which is one goal every three matches. In the Champions League, he has four goals in six games, or two goals in every three matches.
STATS
Viktor Gyökeres
F (C)
Arsenal
Viktor Gyökeres
F (C)
Arsenal
Left-winger Gabriel Martinelli is also a victim of this dynamic, to the point that the Brazilian has only started seven of his 20 Premier League appearances. He has one league goal, but six goals in seven Champions League matches.
Dembele, meanwhile, thrives in tight spaces. He averages just under two successful dribbles per 90 minutes at a success rate of 55.6% — both of which rank in the top 15 percent of strikers in Europe’s top five leagues.
STATS
Ousmane Dembélé
F (C), AM (L)
PSG
Ousmane Dembélé
F (C), AM (L)
PSG
The 2025 Ballon d’Or winner also proved himself as one of the most effective pressers in the world, which only adds to his value on the transfer market.
The main question is whether Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta would want to send big money to PSG for a player who turns 29 in May, just 12 months after signing another striker, Gyokeres, in his prime.
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