Arsenal have been told why Viktor Gyokeres WON’T fire them to the Premier League title, with one observer highlighting Liverpool frontman Darwin Nunez while also making a curious claim about the Sporting CP striker.
Arsenal will sign a new striker in the summer, with Alexander Isak of Newcastle remaining the club‘s dream target. However, with the Swede valued at a gigantic £150m by the Magpies who are unwilling to sell anyway, it’s Isak’s fellow countryman, Viktor Gyokeres, who could arrive as a cheaper alternative.
The Athletic’s David Ornstein recently confirmed Gyokeres is quickly becoming a man in demand at the Emirates.
Gyokeres also has a crucial backer in the form of Arsenal’s new sporting director, Andrea Berta, who was unveiled in his role on Sunday.
Yet despite blasting 42 goals in 42 matches (and providing 11 assists too) for Sporting this season, former Premier League striker, Troy Deeney, isn’t convinced.
When asked whether Gyokeres would suit Arsenal or Manchester United more, Deeney sidestepped the question when suggesting Gyokeres isn’t the answer for either club.
“You know when you say something the clip is going to come back in six months,” Deeney began when speaking to talkSPORT.
“I genuinely think he’s a good footballer, he works really hard, all of that. But I don’t think he’s a natural finisher.
“And again, everyone is going to pull up his goal record, I get that. But I don’t think he takes either of those two to winning the Premier League.
“That’s just my opinion, and if he did, they’d have already bought him.”
Viktor Gyokeres just another Darwin Nunez?
If anyone knows a thing or two about not being a natural finisher it’s Deeney. However, Gyokeres’ record in the calendar year of 2024 concluded at a remarkable 62 goals. What’s more, 10 of those came at international level for Sweden.
Gyokeres has continued his outrageous form into 2025 with eight goals and two assists across his last five Primeira Liga matches.
Nevertheless, Deeney went on to highlight Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez as a pertinent example of players looking like gods in Portugal before morphing into flops in England.
Nunez blasted 34 goals in 41 games in his final season at Benfica, though has been ruthlessly exposed in England. And on the back of yet another disappointing campaign, Liverpool are expected to admit defeat and sell the Uruguayan at season’s end.
“It’s not the same league (as the English top-flight),” continued Deeney. “And we’ll find that out when Gyokeres comes over.”
Gyokeres’ release clause is set at €100m, though Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the frontman can be signed for a much reduced fee through a ‘verbal pact.’
The pact was made between Gyokeres, his agents and Sporting’s hierarchy in response to the striker agreeing to remain in Lisbon for the 2024/25 season.
The end result is Sporting will approve a summer sale for a fee in the €65m-€70m (£54.4m-£58.5m) range.
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