Viktor Gyokeres greeting the Arsenal fans ahead of their pre-season friendly against Newcastle (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has reportedly already begun adjusting his team’s playing style in pre-season training this summer in order to make sure to get the best out of Viktor Gyokeres.
The Sweden international striker has just joined the Gunners from Sporting Lisbon, and will be expected to give Arteta’s side something very different up front.
Kai Havertz has been Arsenal’s main striker in the last couple of years, but it’s debatable if it’s even his best position.
The Germany international would tend to drop back into an attacking midfield role and get involved in the link-up, but Gyokeres is nothing like that, according to the Athletic.
Arsenal will have to change to suit Viktor Gyokeres
Gyokeres may only be one player, but his scoring record in Portugal suggests he’s one player who’s worth adapting your tactics for.
The 27-year-old scored a stunning 97 goals in just 102 games for Sporting and it’s now Arteta’s job to ensure he can be as prolific in English football.
The Athletic suggest Arsenal will now try to play more directly, making the most of Gyokeres’ running off the ball by playing quickly between the lines more often.
After so many problems scoring goals last season, Arsenal fans will certainly be glad if these changes prove successful.
Can Gyokeres succeed in the Premier League?
Gyokeres is something of a late bloomer, and there might be some Arsenal fans who are concerned about his lack of experience in the Premier League.
The Swede previously shone in the Championship with Coventry City, but leading the line for a big name like Arsenal, a team challenging for the Premier League title, will obviously be very different.
We’ve seen mixed results for players who’ve moved from the Portuguese top flight to England’s, with Bruno Fernandes, Ederson, Luis Diaz and Ruben Dias doing very well.
However, Darwin Nunez was a prolific striker for Benfica and then struggled for Liverpool, while Fabio Vieira looked an exciting talent at Porto but struggled at Arsenal.
