by After scoring 97 goals in 102 games, it may seem hard to call Arsenal’s striving for Viktor Gyokoker as a gambling.
Gyokoker was nothing less in Portugal than a sensation, since his record of 39 goals in the Portuguese top league last season was more than any other player in the top 10 leagues in Europe.
Advertising
The Swede also impressed in the Champions League and his hat trick against Manchester City helped him score six goals in eight games.
The question is, can Gyoker continue to terrorize defense in the Premier League?
Arsenal certainly think. The club is in advanced negotiations with the sport of a deal that could be worth up to £ 70 million, while the player reported that he has agreed personal conditions with a five -year contract.
Such a deal is a risk of itself. A player who is 27 years old and is bound to a five -year contract has a limited resale value.
Arsenal has recently targeted younger players – which corresponds to the entire transfer market.
Advertising
“Nobody spends money on players over the age of 25,” said Oliver Dehnhardt, head of the football strategy at the Scouting platform, to Standard Sport in the early summer. “They are just the best Premier League clubs that players buy at this price.”
Arsenal can argue that this is exactly the point – Gyokoker is a signing that can now win. This is a player in his heyday and one who, since he is 6 feet, looks physical for the Premier League.
However, history offers a word of caution. The path from Portugal to Premier League has proven to be difficult for many, and it remains to be seen whether the remarkable form of Gyokoker can continue outside of Portugal.
Confidential environment: Gyokoker could be reunited with some former opponents (AFP via Getty Images)
Darwin Nunez achieved 26 league goals for Benfica in the 2021-22 season before he came to Liverpool this summer as part of a business worth 64 million pounds. After three inconsistent years in Merseyside and 95 Premier League games, he found it net 25 times.
Advertising
Gyokokers can at least point out that he has some experience in English football after scoring 21 goals in the championship during the 2022-23 campaign during his last season.
It is a step below the Premier League, but the analyst giants Opta actually rate the championship as a harder league as the Portuguese top flight.
In fact, in the analysis published last month, they said that 11 of the 18 teams of the Portuguese top light teams were roughly equal to the standard up to the league level. Such an assessment has raised questions about the standard of opposition gyocokers in the past two years.
The counter argument is that Gyokoker can only beat that before him – and he certainly did it.
Advertising
Last season he scored more than one goal per game on average and found the network 54 times in 52 appearances.
These are remarkable numbers and if the Swede can even produce half of them for Arsenal, Mikel Areta’s side will have the striker of 25 goals in a season that they long for.
Gyokoker would also offer Arteta Kai Havertz a different option to guide the line. Havertz is characterized by his link game and his ability to bring others into play.
Despite his lower frame, Gyokoker is more of a dribbler, partly because he started his youth career as a winger.
Only two players in Portugal’s top flight tried more dribbles than Gyokoker last season.
Advertising
And then there is the attitude and hunger of Gyokoker. As Ian Wright would say, he is “a murderer”. Arsenal is missing a poacher in the box, with a natural nose for destinations, and Gyokoker offers this.
The big question is whether he can be in the Premier League and the signing is not without risk.
But for Arsenal there is an argument in search of silverware that the time has become brave. Signing Gyokoker would certainly be that.
