Arsenal: 'No doubt' Viktor Gyokeres will be ready for Premier League debut, says Mikel Arteta | OneFootball

The Swede showed signs of promise as he made his first start for the Gunners on Wednesday

Bedding in: Viktor Gyokeres

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Your matchday briefing on Arsenal, featuring team news and expert analysis from Simon Collings

Sign up

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Mikel Arteta believes Viktor Gyokeres will be in a “really good place” by the time Arsenal travel to Old Trafford for their opening game of the Premier League season next week.

The striker, who joined Arsenal for £64million less than two weeks ago, has only had a handful of training sessions with his new team-mates.

Gyokeres’ performance against Villarreal showed how he is still getting up to speed, but Arteta is confident he can be firing by the time Arsenal face Manchester United a week on Sunday.

“I think mentally and understanding what he needs to do, it will be 100 per cent or more because he’s so willing and so confident as well that he can deliver straight away,” he said.

“I have no doubt that he will be in a really good place.

“We already broke that line today, because I think it was very important for him to start a match and start to have the feeling and the connection with the team.

“He’s been with us only a week or so, but I already saw a lot of things and a lot of purpose, especially the way he was attacking in certain spaces.

“So, in general, for a lot of players that haven’t played many minutes, we have a lot now that they’re going to be ready for Saturday in a much better condition.

“Every day in training I think he’s getting a really good feeling. I think he’s built connections as well outside, which I think is really important with players that are going to help him to be in the position that he needs to get in.

“His fitness level, I think he hasn’t trained really with the team for two months, so he’s done now six or five sessions, I think, before today. So, I think on Saturday, again, he will take another step and he will be in a better condition.”