Will Victor Gyökeres fire the Gunners to Premier League glory?

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Arsenal’s search for a clinical striker may finally be over. This summer, the Gunners splashed a guaranteed £55 million to bring in Victor Gyökeres from Sporting Lisbon—a player whose numbers are as staggering as his work rate.

And for those following the title race closely, this could be the perfect time to scope out the latest football free bets before the action kicks off.

But does he have what it takes to be the final piece in Arsenal’s title quest? Let’s take a look.

A goalscoring machine

Gyökeres, 27, arrives in the Premier League with a jaw-dropping record: 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting.

Last season alone, he netted 39 times in 33 Primeira Liga matches and scored six in eight Champions League appearances, including a famous hat-trick in a 4-1 demolition of Manchester City.

It’s the sort of return Arsenal have craved for years—and one that could turn near misses into a long-awaited title.

Lingering frustrations in North London

For three seasons running, Arsenal have been bridesmaids, finishing second in the Premier League—twice to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and last term to Liverpool.

The common thread in their heartbreak? A lack of an out-and-out forward capable of delivering 25+ league goals, like Erling Haaland or Mohamed Salah.

Gabriel Jesus, despite his technical quality, has been blighted by injuries and scored just seven goals in 44 appearances across the last two seasons.

Kai Havertz, signed from Chelsea in 2023, isn’t a traditional striker but has often been relied upon to lead the line. He scored 13 goals in 37 games in his first season but was sidelined by a hamstring tear in February last year, finishing with nine in 23 appearances.

Such was the shortage of options that midfielder Mikel Merino ended up playing as a makeshift striker for large parts of the run-in, managing a respectable seven goals in 28 league matches.

Gyökeres has been recruited as the solution, the man to bury the chances that went begging in decisive games.

The pressure mounting on Arteta

The Swede’s arrival also turns up the heat on Mikel Arteta. The Arsenal board have backed their manager heavily, with over £600 million in net spend since he took charge.

Yet, silverware has eluded them since the 2020 FA Cup triumph over Chelsea. Supporters know the squad is now stacked—and that the excuses are running thin.

A big signing like Gyökeres isn’t just about goals—it’s a statement of intent, and anything less than a serious title challenge will invite questions about Arteta’s tenure.

Early teething troubles or a storm in a teacup?

While Gyökeres hasn’t scored in his first two pre-season outings—a loss to Tottenham in the first-ever North London Derby outside the capital, and a home defeat to Villarreal—it’s hardly cause for panic.

These are warm-up games, and strikers of his calibre are judged on competitive performances, not summer friendlies.

Can he deliver the decisive edge?

If Gyökeres adapts quickly to the Premier League’s pace and physicality, Arsenal will finally boast the kind of cutting edge they’ve lacked in crunch moments.

His track record suggests he can handle pressure, score in big games, and shoulder the weight of expectation. Should he hit his stride early, the Swede might just be the man to end Arsenal’s 21-year wait for the title.

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