Exclusive: Gyökeres has turned into 'a complete forward' | OneFootball

After swathes of summer speculation, Arsenal finally got a deal for Viktor Gyökeres over the line last weekend - and the prolific Swedish forward will add badly-needed firepower to the north Londoners' armoury.

The 25-year-old completed his £64m move from Sporting on Saturday, signing a five-year contract to join fellow new signings Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera, Christian Norgaard and Kepa at the Emirates Stadium.

As the dust settles on one of the biggest Premier League transfers of the summer so far, we checked in with Playmaker editor - and Portuguese football expert - Daniel Oliveira for the lowdown on Arsenal's Gyökeres deal.

1. Let's first focus on the financial side of the Gyökeres deal... do you think the Gunners landed the striker at a good price? How does the deal compare with the business done this summer by Arsenal's rivals (Ekitike, Pedro, Wirtz, etc)?

Yeah, it’s a big fee, no one’s pretending it isn’t, but considering how mad the market is right now, it’s actually not bad value. The guy smashed it at Sporting last season and is right in his prime. Gyökeres is physically robust, and proven at multiple levels, so it’s not a punt like some of the younger options clubs have explored this summer.

In his last two seasons at Sporting, he scored 97 goals and laid on 27 assists in 102 games for the club. Compared to what others are doing, it feels like Arsenal went for quality over potential. Ekitike still has a lot to prove, João Pedro is tidy, but not a natural No. 9, and Wirtz is a baller, but he’s a completely different type of player.

Gyökeres fills a real need for Arsenal - a proper striker with presence. So yeah, it was a pricey transfer, but it makes sense.

2. Is Gyökeres a different beast from the player who left Coventry a couple of seasons ago? If so, in what way?

Massively so. At Coventry he looked promising - strong, quick, bit raw - but at Sporting he’s turned into a complete forward. He’s sharper, more confident, and way more clinical. He can hold the ball up, beat defenders, and actually create goals now too. It’s like he levelled up across the board. He’s not just a physical threat anymore - he’s dangerous in so many ways.

He’s also mentally grown into a top-level player. You can see it in the confidence he plays with – he knows he’s the main man and thrives under pressure.

3. Is Gyökeres a good fit at Arsenal? Will the Gunners or Gyökeres have to adapt their games to bring the best out of each other?

On paper, he’s a really strong fit. Arsenal have lacked a natural, physical No. 9 who can consistently bully defences, run in behind, and finish chances from tight angles – all things Gyökeres brings. His ability to press from the front also suits Arteta’s system.

But they’ll both need to tweak a few things. Arsenal love a slow, build-up style and Gyökeres thrives off quicker balls and space to run into. So they might need to be a bit more direct at times. And he’ll need to get used to playing against deep defences who don’t give you an inch. But overall? It could really work.

4. Do you think Gyökeres can maintain his unbelievable strike rate in the Premier League?

Not at the same level, no , but that’s not a knock on him. The Premier League is a step up defensively from the Portuguese league, and he won’t have the same time or space. That said, he absolutely bullied defences over there, even against experienced players like Pepe and Nico Otamendi, the Swede got the better of them.

Still, he’s got all the tools to score 15–20+ goals in all competitions if he settles in well. He probably won’t be the penalty taker at Arsenal like he was at Sporting, so that’ll definitely knock a few off his tally. But he’ll also create space and chances for others – stuff that might not show up in the scoring charts, but will massively improve Arsenal’s attack overall.

5. Does this signing, along with Arsenal’s other summer signings, make the Gunners favourites for the Premier League title – or do you think the trend of Arteta’s side falling short will continue?

Arsenal have gone toe-to-toe with Man City for the Premier League title for two seasons, and last year it really felt like they were just missing that proper No. 9 - the kind of striker who gets you those extra goals that turn draws into wins and get you over the line.

With Gyökeres in, there’s no doubt Arsenal are right back in the conversation. If he hits the ground running and they keep their key players fit, especially in midfield and at the back, you could argue they’ve got the most balanced squad in the league.

That said, it’s shaping up to be the toughest Premier League season in a while. There are four proper contenders going in, and it could be ridiculously close.