Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres is in red-hot goalscorer form after firing Sweden to the World Cup
Mikel Arteta has never doubted his decision to sign Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP last summer.
There have been plenty of moments where the striker has faced fierce external scrutiny during a rollercoaster debut season at the Emirates.
But his credible return of 16 goals in all competitions thus far has provided something to build upon during the run-in and Gyokeres’ confidence is soaring following his heroic contribution for Sweden during the international break.
He bagged a hat-trick in Valencia to down Ukraine in the play-off semi-final before firing the winner to book his nation’s ticket to the World Cup finals where they will square off against Tunisia, Netherlands and Japan in Group F.
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Gyokeres returns to north London as an undroppable figure for the Premier League title run-in, even if Kai Havertz is now pushing him for his place.
Havertz has been desperately missed this season during knee and hamstring injury lay-offs but Gyokeres is enduring a purple patch and has started 2026 like a house on fire.
Outside of Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final at Southampton where rotation is highly probable, the centre-forward spot is surely Gyokeres’ to lose now.
Arsenal need to tap into his potency for Sweden because right now he must feel untouchable. This version of Gyokeres is the player Arsenal chief Andrea Berta worked tirelessly to sign.
The negotiations were exhausting but if the 27-year-old continues to build on recent success, this will go down as one of his greatest ever seasons.
Given the success he had at Sporting where he plundered in masses of goals and won major silverware including the prestigious Gerd Muller Trophy, that is saying something given this is his first-ever season in Arsenal red.
Havertz’s fitness needs to be managed carefully but with Eberechi Eze and Martin Odegaard still fighting to shrug off injury issues, he might be needed in a central attacking midfield role.
That would hand Gyokeres free reign in attack and that is the kind of trust and luxury he has long craved. Get to 20 goals in all competitions and fire Arsenal to silverware and Gyokeres will have already have vindicated his £64million price-tag.
The best bit is, you can’t help but feel there is still so much to come from the hungry attacker.
