The Swedish international has been on the radar of several top European clubs following a remarkable scoring run in Portugal.
One of the most feared goal scorers in Europe
Acquired for merely £20.5m from Coventry in 2023, when no English club seemed willing to take a chance on him, Gyokeres has since established himself as one of the most feared goal scorers in Europe.
During the 2024/25 season, he played 52 games, achieving an impressive 54 goals and 11 assists - 43 more goals than any of his Sporting teammates, with only two of them - Trincao and Conrad Harder - reaching double figures.
The obvious concern is that Gyokeres has never competed at the highest level in any league throughout his career, if we consider that the Portuguese league is somewhat behind the 'big five' of the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and LaLiga.
Yet, he has consistently scored goals wherever he has played. In this regard, Arsenal taking a chance where others have hesitated appears less like a risky gamble and more like a well-planned transfer decision, especially given their struggles in front of goal at times.
Only one Arsenal player scored 15 goals last season
Reflecting on last season, only Kai Havertz managed to achieve 15 goals for the Gunners across all competitions... and he was injured in February.
Mikel Merino, despite being primarily a midfielder, can be pleased with his nine goals, which is the same asEthan Nwaneri, and just one less than both Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli (10).
With Gyokeres now on board, however, there should be no need for Merino to provide that additional attacking presence, except for set pieces.
This is because Mikel Arteta now possesses something he has been yearning for - a target man. A striker who not only knows where the goal is but also has the physicality to hold up play, involve his teammates, and draw defenders away from goal, thereby creating space for players like Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice to capitalize.
Gyokeres' signing is also noteworthy as it should lead to a more direct style of play from the north Londoners. While aesthetically pleasing, Arsenal's style has often led them to miss chances that would have been straightforward for someone like the Swede.
Arsenal had become predictable
The Gunners had also become quite easy to defend against, particularly towards the end of last season, as their football had, dare we say, become somewhat predictable.
They certainly weren't dull to watch; in fact, far from it, but they clearly were not capitalizing - at least in the Premier League - on the numerous goal-scoring opportunities that arose.
Conceding 34 goals in the English top-flight should have been the foundation for building a title-winning team, but scoring only 69 goals in the league ultimately caused Arsenal to fall short.
To provide context, Liverpool managed 86, and even Man City scored 72 in what was a rather poor season for Pep Guardiola's squad, with all due respect.
Gyokeres excels not only in scoring goals.
Route one could be a strategy next season
Always proactive and willing to pursue a lost cause, his 26 fast breaks far surpassed any player from his new club. Martinelli's seven was the best performance for the north Londoners in this aspect, indicating that balls over the top might now become a regular feature.
Although route one contradicts everything that Arteta values, it would be pointless to acquire a striker of Gyokeres' clear quality if his skill set is not utilized.
The advantages of having a more physical presence are also evident in the number of one-on-one duels the forward engaged in during the 2024/25 season. His 443 attempts were at least 120 more than any player in the Arsenal squad, although his 50.3% success rate is lower than many of his new teammates.
Clearly, Arteta will want Gyokeres to maintain that competitive edge, but the striker must capitalize more on those challenges if he wishes to succeed at the club.
Likewise, the primary approach for this Arsenal side is expected to be intricate build-up play, and in that regard, the Swede needs to significantly improve his game.
Gyokeres clearly requires development in one area of his game
Passing accuracy has been the weakest aspect of his game, with only 73.2% completion last season, which is lower than every player in the Gunners squad except for the goalkeeper,David Raya (70.5%).
This lack of contribution might be overlooked if he can maintain his impressive form in front of goal. An xG of 38.42 dwarfs the efforts of the north Londoners, with Havertz's 11.11 being the best performance.
There is no doubt that when Arsenal is in form, they remain one of the most diligent passing teams in European football, capable of dominating matches, yet they have consistently fallen short when it mattered most.
The acquisition of Viktor Gyokeres will be viewed as the key to changing that, and as long as they play to his strengths, there is no reason he can't become the final piece of Arteta's carefully assembled puzzle.
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