Arsenal could listen to offers for Viktor Gyokeres as concerns grow over whether the Sweden international is suited to Mikel Arteta’s system, former chief scout Mick Brown has claimed.
Gyokeres joined the Emirates Stadium after a prolific spell with Sporting CP, where he scored 66 goals in 68 appearances. However, he has struggled to establish himself as Arsenal’s regular first-choice striker.
Kai Havertz has instead been preferred through the middle this season, prompting Brown to suggest the club may consider cutting its losses if a suitable proposal arrives.
Arsenal concerns over Viktor Gyokeres’ suitability
Brown believes Arteta’s selection decisions have offered a clear indication of Gyokeres’ current position in the squad.
“I think it’s clear that they have some serious doubts about Viktor Gyokeres at Arsenal,” Brown said.
“They worked hard to bring him in from Sporting, where he was really impressive, but he’s never quite seemed to get going at Arsenal and that’s now becoming an issue.”
The former scout added that the 28-year-old’s lack of regular starts was a worrying sign given the significant investment made to bring him to north London.
“Arteta isn’t trusting him to play from the start this season, Kai Havertz has been the first-choice striker, and that’s a bad sign for somebody they spent a huge fee on last year,” Brown said.
He questioned whether Gyokeres’ strengths could be consistently brought out by Arsenal’s possession-based approach, arguing that the striker was not a natural fit for the team’s current style.
“He’s clearly a talented striker, he shows that every international break with Sweden, but he can’t translate those performances to Arsenal,” Brown said.
Brown suggested Arsenal may be prepared to consider offers rather than continue with a player who has yet to reproduce his Sporting form in the Premier League.
“From the club’s point of view, it might be time to cut their losses and admit they got this one wrong, maybe see if they can get their money back and then move on. If offers come in for him, I’m sure Arsenal will be willing to listen,” he said.
Viktor Gyokeres offers timely reminder of his goalscoring ability
Gyokeres has nevertheless provided a timely reminder of his finishing ability during the international break, scoring in four consecutive UEFA Nations League matches for Sweden.
His run included the winning goal against Romania and could give him renewed hope of earning more opportunities at Arsenal.
Havertz is currently dealing with a hamstring problem, leaving Gyokeres with a chance to convert his international form into regular opportunities when he returns to club football.
The striker’s record at Sporting leaves little doubt about his goalscoring pedigree. The issue for Arsenal is whether Arteta’s system can create the conditions for him to show it consistently.
Gyokeres’ performances for Sweden may now give him an opportunity to challenge the doubts surrounding his future before Arsenal decide whether to entertain offers.
