Arsenal proprietor Josh Kroenke privately pushed to signal participant as an alternative of Viktor Gyokeres
Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres has had a optimistic begin to life with the Gunners following his transfer from Sporting Lisbon however he won’t have change into an Arsenal participant had Josh Kroenke had his method
View 2 PhotosArsenal proprietor Josh Kroenke wished to signal Manchester United star Benjamin Sesko as an alternative of Viktor Gyokeres this summer season. The Gunners bolstered their attacking ranks with the signing of the Swedish ahead again in July.
After intensive negotiations, Arsenal agreed to pay Sporting Lisbon £55m plus add-ons for Gyokeres. And he has loved a productive begin to life in North London, netting six targets in 14 appearances in all competitions.
Gyokeres would possibly by no means have change into an Arsenal participant in any respect had Kroenke had his method nonetheless. In keeping with The Impartial, the Arsenal proprietor was not concerned within the means of appointing sporting director Andrea Berta and thus had his personal switch targets in thoughts.
It’s revealed that he most popular Sesko over Gyokeres, solely to ultimately relent. Intriguingly, the Slovenian ahead was shortly on his solution to the Premier League after finishing a £73m transfer from RB Leipzig to Manchester United.
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The 22-year-old has scored simply twice since then and now seems to be set to be sidelined for a month with a knee harm picked up earlier than the worldwide break. Gyokeres within the meantime has acquired some weird criticism, having been slammed as ‘too heavy’.
Former Sweden star Stefan Schwarz mentioned: “I consider with Viktor Gyokeres, he’s not absolutely match but. As nicely with the brand new system, new supervisor, and new teammates, it takes time to develop the understanding. It’s not simply the bodily a part of it, it’s the psychological half as nicely.”
He added: “The strikers will all the time be counted on for the targets that they’re scoring. Hopefully, he’ll begin to create and rating targets, have an excellent run, get that actual increase, and get a bit lighter as a result of he’s a heavy participant. I believe that might assist.”
View 2 PhotosWho’s the higher striker out of Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko? Share your ideas within the feedback beneath
However Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta stays absolutely behind the ahead. Talking after Gyokeres netted twice vs Atletico Madrid final month, the Spaniard mentioned: "All of us [appreciate Gyokeres] as a result of he makes us a a lot better staff. I believe we've change into rather more unpredictable.
"He's so bodily, opens the areas for everybody. The best way he presses the ball, holds the ball, it's simply phenomenal.
"After which the icing on the cake and the largest factor that we're going to debate about him is targets. He's scored two very completely different ones immediately, and hopefully he begins to get some momentum and an excellent run of targets."
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