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Most top-10 league goals in Europe
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Arsenal may finally be signing a striker. There has been furore for the north London clubs to invest in a new no.9 for some time, and the Gunners are reportedly now in the process of completing a deal for Sporting goal-machine Viktor Gyökeres. According to The Athletic, personal terms are agreed with the player on a five-year deal, with a fee now agreed in principle for an initial €63.5m plus a further €10m in add-ons. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is pushing to have the situation brought to a swift conclusion ahead of his squad’s return to pre-season training this July.
Arsenal had also been chasing RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, but reports suggest that the German's club refusal to lower their asking price for the Slovenian forced the Gunners to move on. The north London club's new Sporting Director Andrea Berta has been known to be an admirer of Gyökeres for some time. Th Sweden international was signed by Sporting from Championship side Coventry in 2023 for €24m, and has been ridiculously prolific in both of his seasons in Portugal. He now has a market value of €75m, and no player in Europe's top-10 leagues has scored more goals than Gyökeres since he joined Sporting. But will the 27-year-old be able to replicate his incredible numbers in Liga Portugal in the world's most valuable division - the Premier League? With expert insight from Portugal we try to answer just that.
Can Viktor Gyökeres replicate goalscoring record in the Premier League?
As illustrated in the graphic above, no player in Europe's top-10 leagues has scored more league goals than Gyökeres' 68 goals in 66 games over the last two seasons - since the Swede signed for Sporting. Bayern Munich's Harry Kane comes closest with 62 goals. However, those numbers shouldn't be a pre-requisite to assume Gyökeres will be a huge success at Arsenal. Firstly, the standard of Liga Portugal is nowhere near that of the Premier League, and across his entire career, Gyökeres has never played a single game in a top-five league (Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1).
We should also take into consideration that 17 of those 68 goals have been penalties. Nevertheless to caveat those points, it should also be noted that last season Arteta managed to get a decent tune out to midfielder Mikel Merino up front, who had never played their in his entire career. He has also transformed Kai Havertz into a striker during the German's time at the Emirates. If Arteta can work with players like that and extract decent performances as a striker, there is the feeling that he could do wonders with a natural goalscorer like Gyökeres.
Gonçalo Tristão Santos is Transfermarkt's Area Manager in Portugal and explains more about some of the big Swede's strengths: "Gyökeres is a physically dominant striker with excellent movement, especially in transitions. His key strengths include his explosive acceleration, powerful ball carrying ability and his instinctive finishing inside the box. He's deceptively quick for his size, often leaving defenders behind on counter-attacks, and he also excels at holding up the ball and linking play with teammates." With Arsenal being a team that usually dominates possession and tries to control games, the counter-attack threat could be less effective with the Gunners, but hold-up play will be important.
"In terms of weaknesses, his first touch under pressure can sometimes let him down and while he is a decent passer, that's not exactly one of his best qualities," continued Santos. "He’s definitely one of the most complete and dominant strikers Liga Portugal has seen in recent years. Since arriving at Sporting, he has combined physicality, technical ability and a clinical edge in a way that’s rare in this league. I would place him in the top-tier alongside names like Mário Jardel or Radamel Falcao. Gyökeres also shares traits with another Swedish forward that plays in the Premier League: Alexander Isak. That ability to drift wide, attack space intelligently and finish with composure. He’s more aggressive and 'raw' than Isak, but they both offer mobility and unpredictability, especially when facing high lines."
So many of the tools needed to make a huge impact in the English top-flight may be there with Gyökeres, but will he be able to handle the step up in quality smoothly? "I believe he has all the tools to succeed in the Premier League," revealed Santos. "He has already shown he can handle physical leagues during his time in the Championship and he has grown even more at Sporting, both tactically and technically. The key will be how quickly he adapts to the faster pace and more sophisticated defences in the Premier League. But with the right support around him, he could thrive, especially in a strong team like Arsenal.
"Assuming the fee will be around €70M, it’s a big investment. However, considering today’s market, what Gyökeres brings, and what he did at Sporting, it’s justifiable. He could be a long-term solution for Arsenal’s no. 9 role, offering both goals and a relentless work ethic. If they can integrate him well, it could be very good value for the club." However, at the age of 27, the Swede will be expected to hit the ground running in north London. They need results now, and will be hoping goal-machine Gyökeres can replicate his form in Portugal in the English top-flight and help Arsenal finally win a major trophy once again.
