Viktor Gyökeres has already made history at Arsenal and he hasn’t even kicked a ball. The Swedish striker has broken the club’s all-time record for shirt sales following his €63.5 million move from Sporting CP last week.
Gyökeres was unveiled to a raucous reception in Singapore ahead of Arsenal’s friendly against Newcastle and has trained with the squad ahead of Thursday’s showdown with Spurs in Hong Kong. But it’s off the pitch where his arrival is making immediate waves.
Arsenal fans crash store sites for Gyökeres No. 14 shirt
Demand for Gyökeres’ No. 14 shirt has surpassed all recent records, even those set by Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, and Martin Ødegaard. According to internal club figures and early retail tracking, his shirt sales are the highest in modern Arsenal history.
To mark the transfer, Arsenal offered fans free shirt printing for Gyökeres’ name, a gesture that sparked such a rush that the club’s official online store briefly crashed. The offer remains active until Thursday, and sales continue to surge by the hour.
While Gyökeres typically wears No. 9, that shirt is held by Gabriel Jesus. Instead, he selected the iconic No. 14, a number made legendary by Thierry Henry. The decision instantly resonated with supporters hungry for a goal-scorer to match the shirt’s history.
Gyökeres arrives with huge fan support and historic expectations
After years of waiting for a true centre-forward, Arsenal fans are showing what this signing means. Mikel Arteta called the 27-year-old a “quick and powerful presence” who brings “a clinical edge” and the fans clearly agree. The No. 14 shirt now belongs to the most in-form striker in Europe last season.
Gyökeres scored 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting and helped win back-to-back titles in Portugal. Now, he joins a title-hungry Arsenal side looking to go one better in the Premier League and make a deep Champions League run.
His popularity is already on par with Arsenal’s biggest stars and if he delivers on the pitch, it could be the beginning of a new fan favourite era in north London.
Final thoughts
It’s not just hype, it’s belief. Viktor Gyökeres has brought a wave of energy to the fanbase, and the record-breaking shirt sales prove it. Arsenal needed a No. 9. Gyökeres became No. 14 and he’s already moving like a player ready to live up to the legacy.
