Gyokeres at Arsenal? I'm calling it now - this won't end how you think

By Lewis Barnett 16 August, 2025 6 mins read 113 Views

Listen. I've been watching this Viktor Gyokeres situation unfold and something just doesn't sit right with me.

Everyone's acting like Arsenal just solved their striker problem with some magic wand, but I'm getting serious Darwin Nunez vibes from this whole thing. You know that feeling when everyone's hyping up a signing and you're just standing there thinking "am I missing something here?"

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The Portugal Problem (and why it matters more than you think)

Back in 2019, I watched Joao Felix tear up the Portuguese league and thought he'd dominate the Premier League. How'd that work out for Atletico? Sometimes the gap between leagues isn't just a gap - it's a bloody canyon.

Gyokeres put up Messi-level numbers at Sporting. Fair enough. But here's what bugs me - Sporting had like 70% possession most games. The guy was basically playing FIFA on easy mode, with chances falling to him every ten minutes.

Then Amorim left for United in November.

Suddenly, those numbers started looking a bit more... human. Coincidence? I don't think so.

My mate Dave (Arsenal season ticket holder for 15 years) texted me yesterday: "We're winning the league mate, finally got our striker." I didn't have the heart to tell him what I really think.

When the shirt gets heavier

I've seen it happen too many times. Player dominates in a smaller league, moves to a big Premier League club, and suddenly looks like they've never kicked a ball before.

Those pre-season games? Gyokeres missed some absolute sitters. And you could see it in his body language - that Arsenal shirt weighs different than a Sporting one. The Emirates crowd expects different things than Portuguese fans do.

God, I remember playing against him at Coventry back in 2021 when I was at Birmingham. He was raw, caused problems, sure. But did I walk off that pitch thinking "future Arsenal legend"? Not even close. I saw a Championship striker who might make it to the Premier League if everything went right.

Sometimes everything goes right for a season or two. Doesn't mean it lasts.

The £65m question nobody's asking

Here's what really gets me - why did Arsenal take so bloody long to get this done?

When they wanted Declan Rice, they didn't mess about. £105m, boom, done. Because they knew he was THE guy. With Gyokeres? Months of back-and-forth, flirting with Benjamin Sesko, making the player practically beg for the move.

That tells you everything you need to know about their confidence level.

And Liverpool were looking for a striker all summer. Slot's not stupid - why didn't they go for Gyokeres? What do they see that Arsenal don't? Or more importantly, what don't they see that Arsenal think they do?

Havertz isn't going anywhere (and that's a problem)

People keep forgetting - Arteta absolutely loves Kai Havertz. The German fits his system like a glove, drops deep, links play, does all the things Arteta obsesses over in his tactical meetings.

If Havertz hits form early in the season, Gyokeres could find himself watching from the bench faster than you can say "£65 million mistake."

I've got a tenner riding on Havertz starting more league games than Gyokeres this season. My editor thinks I'm mad, but I've seen this movie before.

Meanwhile, at Old Trafford...

Sesko to United makes way more sense to me. Kid's coming from that Red Bull system - high pressing, chaos, intensity. That's exactly what United need right now, not more technical players who go missing when things get scrappy.

Plus he's got Mbeumo and Cunha around him - proper experienced heads who know how to find a striker. At Arsenal, everything runs through Saka. What happens when Saka gets injured again? Because he will.

Mark my words - Sesko scores 15+ goals this season while Gyokeres struggles to hit double figures before Christmas.

The uncomfortable truth about Arsenal

They're still the same team they were last season, just with a more expensive striker.

Still set-piece dependent. Still crumble when Saka's not available. Still can't win the big games when it matters most. Adding Gyokeres doesn't change any of that - it just gives fans someone new to blame when they finish 3rd again.

How long before the Emirates crowd turns on Arteta? Two bad results? Three? The man's been there four years and won one FA Cup. At some point, "trust the process" stops being an acceptable answer.

Poor Viktor's walking into a pressure cooker, and I'm not convinced he's got the mentality for it. We'll find out soon enough, I suppose.

I really hope I'm wrong about this one. But something tells me I won't be.

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How To

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