Viktor Gyokeres is having a decent goalscoring season in his first Premier League game, better than many other expensive strikers.
Viktor Gyokeres has scored 9 goals in all competitions this season.
Against Inter Milan, Gabriel Jesus was Arsenal's brightest star in their 3-1 victory on January 21st. The Brazilian striker scored a brace and was named "Man of the Match". But Gyokeres' spectacular curling shot from outside the penalty area was another highlight of the game.
The Swedish striker scored a beautiful goal, and it could mark a major turning point for him at Arsenal after months of criticism.
Football London commented that since joining Arsenal, Gyokeres has frequently received criticism regarding his goal tally. However, the goal against Inter was Gyokeres' ninth goal for Arsenal this season across all competitions (plus one assist).
This number isn't particularly high, but considering Gyokeres' first season at Arsenal, and compared to other strikers, it reveals a different aspect.
The Swedish striker has scored 5 goals in the Premier League, 3 in the Champions League, and 1 in the League Cup. Gyokeres' performance is superior to that of Benjamin Sesko, who has only scored 4 goals in the Premier League.
Liverpool's new signing, Alexander Isak, has only scored 3 goals in all competitions this season. Hugo Ekitike has also only managed 10 goals in all competitions for Liverpool this season. It's worth remembering that Ekitike, Sesko, and Isak all cost more than Gyokeres did last summer.
Gyokeres scored a sweet curling shot, contributing to Arsenal's 3-1 victory away at Inter.
Gyokeres was signed by Arsenal for a fee of around £60-70 million (depending on add-ons), significantly lower than the value of Isak (over £130 million) and Šeško (around £90 million).
This makes it premature and unfair to judge Gyokeres as an ineffective signing for Arsenal. The season is still long, and the Swedish star can still improve his record.
And in the context of reality, his performance isn't too bad. This is only Gyokeres' first season adapting to the intensity and pace of the Premier League, the most demanding league in Europe.
Arsenal's current playing style under manager Mikel Arteta also emphasizes ball control, high pressing, and small-group passing, requiring forwards to be more involved in the team's overall play rather than just focusing on finishing.
Gyokeres hasn't had a full pre-season with the team (joining late in summer 2025), resulting in a shortened time to familiarize himself with the system and teammates. Despite this, he has shown significant improvement: his ball control, off-ball movement, pressing, and diverse finishing abilities.
With more time, a deeper understanding of tactical systems, and better synergy with players like Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, and Declan Rice, Gyokeres could absolutely make a stronger breakthrough in the second half of the season and in subsequent seasons.
Although he hasn't yet reached the explosive level initially expected, Gyokeres is playing reasonably well, especially as Arsenal continues to thrive in all four competitions. Arsenal and their fans have reason to be optimistic about the Swedish striker's further development.