In a summer dominated by blockbuster moves, it’s Viktor Gyokeres who continues to steal the headlines after sealing his switch to Arsenal.
There’s a sense of relief around the Emirates, as Arsenal have finally landed the number nine they’ve been craving, with Gyokeres joining in a £63.5 million deal from Sporting CP.
The Sweden international rejected approaches from other Premier League clubs such as Manchester United, which constantly reiterated that Gyokeres only wanted to sign for Mikel Arteta’s side.
While Gyokeres hasn’t even made his debut for the Gunners yet, the striker has already broken a club record, setting the tone for what could be a massive season ahead in North London.
Viktor Gyokeres shirt sales break Arsenal record
Arsenal fans have been desperate for a new striker to arrive following the inconsistent performances of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus in the number nine position, and they’ll be hopeful that Gyokeres can fix just that.
The club finally wrapped up a deal for the 27-year-old, after weeks of difficult negotiations with Sporting.
The Portuguese side held firm on their valuation, but new sporting director Andrea Berta managed to get the deal over the line.
As reported by The Athletic, Gyokeres has already broken the all-time club record for shirt sales, despite not having kicked a ball in red and white.
Arsenal have offered free name printing for a limited time to capitalise on the momentum before the new signing makes his debut, when the Gunners face Tottenham in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong.
The striker becomes one of Arsenal’s most high-profile additions in recent years, and fans have wasted no time in showing their support.
Gyokeres embraces Thierry Henry’s legacy with record-breaking start
Gyokeres will wear the iconic number 14 shirt at Arsenal, famously worn by club legend Thierry Henry.
It’s a number steeped in history at the Emirates, and the Swede will know he has big shoes to fill as he follows in the footsteps of one of Arsenal’s greatest-ever players.
Gyokeres, who scored 43 goals for Sporting last season, arrives with the profile and form of a traditional centre-forward, which is something Arsenal have lacked in recent title pushes.
| Player | Thierry Henry | Viktor Gyokeres |
| Appearances | 794 | 395 |
| Goals | 360 | 220 |
| Assists | 174 | 65 |
With strong foundations already in place, the pressure will be on Gyokeres to hit the ground running.
If he delivers in the Premier League in the way he has in Portugal, Arsenal could finally have the firepower needed to go all the way in both the Premier League and Europe.