Viktor Gyokeres: Arsenal Newbie Explains Why He Rejected Man United
- Viktor Gyokeres has finally signed for Arsenal from Portuguese giants Sporting CP after weeks of speculation
- The Swedish striker was recently linked with Manchester United, but a reunion with Ruben Amorim wasn't possible
- In his first interview as an Arsenal player, the 27-year-old explained why he had to pick the Gunners over the Red Devils
New Arsenal signing Viktor Gyökeres has revealed why he chose the Gunners over other Premier League rivals, including Manchester United.
Arsenal and Sporting CP spent weeks locked in negotiations before finally reaching an agreement.
The deal is worth €63.5 million, with an additional €10 million in potential add-ons.
Source: Getty Images
For the past three seasons, Arsenal fans have urged the club to sign a prolific striker after falling just short in their Premier League title bids.
The Gunners have finished second in each of those campaigns and are now hoping that new signing Viktor Gyökeres can be the missing piece in their title challenge next season.
Despite boasting one of the league's best attacking records, Arsenal struggled to kill off games last season, drawing 14 of their 38 matches.
While eventual champions Liverpool only drew nine times, they managed five more wins than Mikel Arteta’s side—despite scoring 17 fewer goals than the Gunners.
That inconsistency in front of goal at crucial moments may have cost Arsenal the title.
Now enters Viktor Gyökeres, a striker with a proven scoring record.
The Swedish forward netted an incredible 54 goals in 52 appearances last season and scored 33 league goals in each of the two campaigns before that.
In comparison, Arsenal's top scorer Bukayo Saka registered 20 goals, while starting striker Kai Havertz contributed 15.
Why Gyökeres chose Arsenal over Manchester United
Viktor Gyökeres was strongly linked with a move to Manchester United, now coached by his former Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim. However, in his first interview as an Arsenal player, the Swedish striker made it clear that the Gunners were always his top choice.
“I just felt that it was the right club for me,” Gyökeres explained. “What I heard from Mikel and Andrea when I was speaking with them, and just what I've seen in the past years—how they've been playing football. When I was playing against Arsenal last season, I could really feel it was a very strong team and very difficult to play against. That made me choose Arsenal, and of course all the history the club has and the massive fanbase."
Gyökeres will wear the iconic No. 14 shirt, once worn by club legend Thierry Henry. Fittingly, his first competitive match in Arsenal colours will be against Amorim’s Manchester United on August 17 at Old Trafford.
Source: AFP
