Arsenal have been interested in signing Swedish sensation Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP for a while now. However, one of their former players believes the club should back down from making a move.
Speaking to the Oxford Mail, Martin Keown has made some surprising claims about why Gyokeres would not be a good signing. He said,
“The players who are there at the moment need to start scoring goals fast don’t they, otherwise Mikel will put his hands in his pocket and buy a forward. Gyokeres is not quick enough, and he wouldn’t have been quick enough in my day.”
Keown’s doubts about the Gunners shelling out a huge sum for a striker from abroad are quite natural, especially considering it is nearly January. However, his comments come as a surprise to many, as Gyokeres is renowned for his pace and ability to make runs in behind defences.
One such recent example of the same was his first goal against Manchester City in a 4-1 win for Sporting in the Champions League.
Would Arsenal benefit from chasing another target apart from Gyokeres?
Viktor Gyokeres has been a force to be reckoned with since making the switch to join Sporting from Coventry City in 2023 after a couple of unremarkable years. However, since joining the Portuguese giants, the player has found new levels to his game and has an incredible record.
In 74 games for Sporting across competitions, the Swede has scored an eye-watering 69 goals and has also provided 20 assists, averaging nearly a goal per game. While Arsenal’s deficiencies are clear for the world to see, they may reconsider their pursuit of Gyokeres.
The Gunners are also reported to be interested in Alexander Isak of Newcastle United, Lois Openda of RB Leipzig, and Dusan Vlahovic from Juventus. However, no concrete move has been made yet. The club would be smart to put in bids for one or two of these targets as they look for backup.
