"Arsenal just need to sign a striker."
It's a sentiment that manager Mikel Arteta is likely tired of hearing. While it would be overly simplistic to attribute the Gunners' five-year trophy drought solely to their lack of a prolific striker, it has certainly been a factor.
Now, they have addressed this issue.
Viktor Gyokeres is set to join Arsenal, bringing with him an impressive record of 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting, along with 26 assists. His arrival is part of a busy summer for Arteta, who has also signed midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard, goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, and winger Noni Madueke, with Valencia center-back Cristhian Mosquera also expected to join.
These acquisitions have taken Arsenal's summer spending to £210 million, marking the highest expenditure in a single transfer window under Arteta's leadership. As Arsenal aims to secure their first trophy since the 2020 FA Cup and improve on three consecutive second-place finishes in the Premier League, Gyokeres' arrival is generating excitement among Gunners fans.
Could the 27-year-old former Brighton and Coventry striker be the key to bringing silverware back to the Emirates?
How Much Did Arsenal Need a Striker?
Despite Arsenal's position as the third-highest scorers in the Premier League last season, there has been significant focus on their need for a striker. They were Liverpool's closest challengers, but the statistics don't tell the whole story.
Arsenal scored 22 fewer league goals last season than in 2023-24, a shortfall that contributed to them lagging behind Liverpool and being eliminated from the Champions League semi-finals by Paris St-Germain.
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards remarked to BBC Sport last season: "The difference between Arsenal winning the league or these ties is just a center-forward."
Arsenal explored moves for strikers like Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, and Newcastle's Alexander Isak. However, some supporters argue that the need for a new forward has been evident since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's departure in 2022, as he was their last 20-goals-a-season striker in the league.
Kai Havertz was Arsenal's top scorer in the Premier League last season, with nine goals placing him joint 26th in the standings. He scored six more in other competitions, but a total of 15 goals falls short of expectations for a team contending for multiple trophies.
Before Gyokeres, Arteta had recruited only two recognized strikers, Gabriel Jesus and Havertz, both capable of playing other roles but with ample experience leading the line. To provide context, Arsenal's four summer signings prior to Gyokeres brought Arteta's recruitment to 35 players, either permanently or on loan, in five seasons. Kepa is the sixth goalkeeper he has brought in.
Winger Leandro Trossard and midfielder Mikel Merino have occasionally played up front, largely due to injuries to Jesus and Havertz, highlighting the limited options available.
Is Gyokeres the Answer?
Gyokeres' primary strength is his goal-scoring ability, having been a prolific scorer in Portugal. His 39 goals last season were the highest in Europe's top 10 leagues, putting him in elite company alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, and Luis Suarez.
Although 12 of Gyokeres' Primeira Liga goals were penalties, his 27 non-penalty goals still exceeded those of any other player. He averaged 4.5 shots per 90 minutes, compared to Jesus' 3.0 and Havertz's 2.6 in the Premier League.
Gyokeres also had an impressive 327 touches in the opposition box and adopted a "shoot on sight" policy with 139 efforts on goal, averaging one every 20 minutes. His shot-conversion rate (excluding blocked shots and penalties) of 27.3% surpassed that of Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (21.1%), Manchester City's Erling Haaland (21.6%), and Newcastle's Isak (26.4%), with only Nottingham Forest's Chris Wood achieving a higher conversion rate in the Premier League.
Gyokeres also excelled on the international stage, scoring nine goals in six games for his country, including four in one match against Azerbaijan during the 2024-25 Nations League, where he finished as the top scorer.
The question remains whether Gyokeres can maintain his prolific form in a more competitive league. At 27, he has yet to play in any of Europe's top five divisions. Data analysts Opta rank the Portuguese Primeira Liga as the eighth strongest league globally, behind the usual big five (England, Italy, Spain, Germany, and France), the Belgian Jupiler Pro League, and even the English Championship, where Gyokeres impressed before moving to Lisbon.
Skeptics may recall Liverpool's Darwin Nunez struggling for consistency in England after scoring 26 goals in 28 Primeira Liga games for Benfica during the 2021-22 season. However, players like Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, Manchester City's Ruben Dias, and Bournemouth's Evanilson have thrived in the Premier League following moves from Portugal.
Gyokeres offers more than just goals. Standing at 6ft 2in, he is known for his intelligent movement and high work rate, with a blend of physical strength, technical skill, and tactical awareness that has drawn admiration. He is both a creator and a scorer, with much of his chance creation stemming from his penchant for running with the ball.
After failing to make an impact at Brighton, Gyokeres joined Coventry for a modest fee in July 2021 following an unremarkable loan spell with the Sky Blues, where he scored three goals in 19 Championship appearances. Two years later, he moved to Sporting for £20.5 million after netting 38 times in 91 league games for Coventry across the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.
In Portugal, he became a scoring machine. As he returns to England, only time will tell if he can replicate that success against elite-level defenses.
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