Viktor Gyokeres has spoken openly about his Arsenal future and the frustration of limited game time, insisting that he never seriously considered leaving the club despite considerable speculation during the summer.
The Swedish striker has found opportunities difficult to come by at the beginning of his second season in north London, with Kai Havertz established as Mikel Arteta’s preferred option through the middle.
That situation inevitably led to questions over Gyokeres’ future, including suggestions that he could have been used as part of a deal for Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez.
However, Gyokeres has now made his own position clear.
Gyokeres says staying at Arsenal was never in doubt
Speaking to SVT Sport, the 28-year-old explained that his focus remained firmly on Arsenal throughout the summer, say that staying was a given.
“För mig var det givet att stanna.”
He followed that with an equally emphatic assessment of how he feels about life at the club:
“Jag trivs extremt bra i klubben.”
Gyokeres said he is extremely happy at Arsenal, while also reflecting positively on last season, when the Gunners finally ended their long wait for another Premier League title.
That does not mean he is satisfied with his own current situation, though. Gyokeres acknowledged that not being on the pitch regularly is frustrating and explained that he wants to contribute and score goals whenever possible. His approach, he said, is to concentrate on performing when opportunities arrive and on the things within his control.
Could Gyokeres now get the opportunity he wants?
The timing of those comments is particularly interesting.
As we reported yesterday, Gyokeres scored Sweden’s decisive second goal in their 2-1 Nations League victory over Romania, giving him a welcome boost while away on international duty.
Meanwhile, Havertz has returned to Arsenal after suffering a hamstring problem while playing for Germany. The severity of that injury is not yet known, but if the German is unavailable when club football resumes, the door could suddenly open for Gyokeres.
After a summer of speculation and a difficult opening to the campaign, that could be exactly the opportunity the Swede has been waiting for.
If Havertz is unavailable, would you start Gyokeres immediately and give him a run of games to prove himself? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this link…
One door closes for Havertz, and another door opens for Gyokeres.
He is aware he has to prove himself, as any player should. His chance may be here if Havertz is injured.
I hope he gets a nice run of 4 games or so, needs to find sharpness quick and hit the ground running.
It is Viktor’s job to convince Arteta that he is the striker we need, and that the team is better when he plays.
If Merino gets a start, then Gyokeres may want to call his agent. If he is competing with Merino for striker, then Arteta already pushed him one foot out the door, imo.
I don’t think Arteta has ever really favored him, or at least nit shown it, imo. It’s fine, it’s Arteta’s job and neck on the line for results.
I talk about myself hiding behind the sofa quite a lot on this forum in a jokey way. But it wouldn’t surprise me if Arteta is currently the one hiding in a darkened room hoping his other attackers return unscathed.
Our attack is paper thin as it is, anymore injury’s and January will seem even further away. 🤦♂️