HONG KONG — The burden of expectations on Viktor Gyökeres was already appreciable earlier than he took Arsenal‘s No. 14 shirt. That jersey was made iconic by striker Thierry Henry, who scored 228 objectives between 1999 and 2007 to publish a complete no different man has matched within the membership’s historical past.
The Gunners arguably have not had a very elite striker since. Robin van Persie (who wore the No. 10 on the finish of his Arsenal profession) had all the category however struggled to remain match. Theo Walcott inherited the No. 14 from Henry and stored it throughout a near-decade of escalating frustration among the many fan base as longtime supervisor Arsène Wenger’s powers regularly waned. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and the final No. 14, Eddie Nketiah, each failed to finish the membership’s lengthy await a primary Premier League title since Henry & Co. gained it in 2003-04 with out dropping a single match.
However after three consecutive second-place finishes beneath coach Mikel Arteta, there’s widespread hope amongst followers that Gyökeres, the Gunners’ sixth summer time acquisition however undeniably essentially the most anticipated, is the ultimate piece within the puzzle, the star signing recruited for an initial €63 million from Sporting CP who turns them from runners-up into champions. No strain.
– How Arsenal new signing Gyökeres became Europe’s top striker
– Why did the Gyökeres’ transfer take so long to complete?
– Ødegaard helping guide young Arsenal stars Dowman, Salmon
The No. 10 shirt was vacant, though one supply urged to ESPN that it could be earmarked for another person within the squad. Gyökeres may have requested it to keep away from the Henry comparability. As a substitute, when chatting with a small group of assembled reporters on the Rosewood Lodge in Hong Kong on Wednesday, Gyökeres was unfazed by the quantity’s legacy.
“It is not likely my intention to be in contrast with what he is achieved in his profession,” mentioned Gyökeres. “Particularly right here. I simply need to do my very own factor and present my qualities. In fact he was an incredible participant, however completely different from me. I simply need to attempt to do my very own factor.
“In fact I do know concerning the historical past. However to be sincere there weren’t so many numbers obtainable. There weren’t too many to select from. However in fact that one was obtainable. So once I knew that it was a straightforward option to take it.”
Arteta was impressed together with his new striker’s mindset. “I exploit the phrase ‘conviction’ and that is the very first thing that I observed once I spoke to him,” the Arsenal boss mentioned. “Somebody very decided, somebody that was already actually hooked up to the membership the way in which he was speaking concerning the membership, the historical past and on this case Thierry and what the shirt represented. He right away felt it. And while you really feel it, go for it.”
Though the await Gyökeres’ switch to be finalized felt interminable for a lot of following the saga, with the framework of a deal being agreed earlier than negotiations stalled over the character of add-ons, the 27-year-old himself was not proof against the scenario. After refusing to report again to Sporting for preseason coaching, Gyökeres skilled alone as Arsenal pushed to succeed in an settlement.
Sources instructed ESPN that his agent waived a €6.3 million price to assist bridge the hole between the golf equipment, and solely throughout Arsenal’s preseason tour to Asia was there a significant breakthrough when the Gunners agreed to extra achievable triggers for the performance-related add-ons. As late because the evening earlier than the deal was confirmed on July 26, sources mentioned senior figures at Arsenal have been sweating on the main points to ensure all the things was finalized.
“I attempted to coach as a lot as doable on my own and hold the day going,” Gyökeres mentioned. “Plenty of days have been the identical sort of routine. I wakened, skilled, had dinner after which went to mattress once more. It was like that for a couple of weeks, however it was value it for certain.
“It has been a brand new expertise. I have never actually been in that scenario earlier than. It has been lots of ready from my aspect. I needed to come back right here, however it wasn’t that simple. However I am lastly right here and it feels nice.”
Manchester United have been linked with curiosity at one stage, particularly following Ruben Amorim’s transfer from Sporting to Previous Trafford late final yr. Such have been Gyökeres’ ludicrous scoring numbers throughout his two title-winning seasons in Lisbon — 97 objectives in 102 video games — that he was linked with a number of golf equipment throughout Europe.
“I believe you’ll be able to all the time have a choice [over] your future,” Gyökeres mentioned. “In fact there have been different golf equipment as properly, however I did not really feel it was a troublesome selection for me this time.”
There are, nonetheless, some doubts about how properly that scoring type will translate from the Portuguese Primeira Liga. The Premier League — and competing on 4 fronts for 10 months of the yr — will demand extra of him and include larger ranges of scrutiny.
Throughout an open coaching session in Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium in a while Wednesday, his picture on the massive display screen drew the most important cheers from round 20,000 followers in attendance, alongside 15-year-old Max Dowman‘s, and the objectives he scored throughout numerous drills — which have been quite a few — acquired rapturous applause. There shall be no hiding place.
When it was put to Gyökeres that Darwin Núñez arrived from Portugal with a giant popularity for a giant price from Benfica to Liverpool in 2022 solely to wrestle, he mentioned: “I believe I will should adapt. However I believe there are lots of gamers from Portugal who’ve completed even higher in England. It will depend on who you choose.
“I believe it is troublesome to check one participant to a different. And the way they’re performing in a unique league. As a result of there are lots of various factors. Not solely a greater league. If you happen to play in a greater group additionally, it makes it simpler. Particularly should you’re an attacking participant. So we’ll should see.
“I believe I’ve sufficient expectations on myself. I will simply attempt to carry out anyway, to be sincere — simply to maintain going the way in which I have been doing the final couple of years. Simply attempting to enhance as properly on the pitch. Attempt to assist the group as a lot as I can.”
Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard has been impressed with what he has seen. A supply near Ødegaard instructed ESPN that he hung out with Gyökeres off the sphere shortly after their arrival in Hong Kong, attempting to assist him regulate.
“With the language and all the things it’s a bit simpler for me to assist him,” Ødegaard mentioned. “We will converse our personal language. And Scandinavians all the time bond properly collectively, in that means it has been actually pure.
“Each new participant, we all the time attempt to assist them in the absolute best means. That is what I felt once I got here right here, I felt at dwelling right away and I felt how good the tradition and the setting and the tradition is to get into.
“Everybody simply needs that will help you and get one of the best out of you. It is vital that you simply do issues off the pitch and that is what all of us do. We’re simply there to assist and thus far he’s having a superb time I believe.
“You have all seen what he is completed in his profession thus far and particularly the final season at Sporting, the numbers converse for themselves. However he is a really full participant, he is bodily, robust, quick, good finisher and clever as properly. I believe he is a really full striker and we will additionally see the starvation and the vitality he brings. So actually excited to have him with the group, and he is solely skilled a couple of occasions however you’ll be able to already see the standard, the vitality and the willingness so excited to share the pitch with him.”
Maybe the expertise of English soccer at Brighton & Hove Albion (2018-2021), Swansea City (2020-21, on mortgage) and Coventry City (2021-2023) — albeit exterior of the Premier League — will assist Gyökeres in his adaptation.
“It makes it simpler,” he mentioned. “I am used to the climate and all the things round. I have been in England earlier than for a couple of years. So some points I believe it helps. However in fact there are lots of new issues as properly. A brand new group, a brand new concept of enjoying. I believe I have to adapt to that as properly.”
As he settles into his new life as an Arsenal participant and prepares for his first run-out with the group in Thursday’s pleasant in opposition to Tottenham Hotspur, Gyökeres is, not less than for now, a person of comparatively few phrases, completely well mannered however laconic slightly than loquacious. After a troublesome summer time and a delayed arrival at his new membership, he was requested whether or not he shall be prepared for the primary Premier League recreation — at Manchester United on Aug. 17.
“Yeah,” he mentioned, considering briefly whether or not so as to add anything. He left it there, with the single-mindedness of a person able to take all of it in his stride.