Gyokeres' Hidden Arsenal Impact: More Than Just Goals

Arsenal Arsenal have just unlocked a secret Viktor Gyokeres transfer benefit for Mikel Arteta Arsenal news as Viktor Gyokeres' impact for the season is set to be bigger than first expected even if he isn't scoring goals footballlondon Bookmark Share Comments Arsenal By Tom Coley Senior Football Writer 12:00, 1 AUG 2025 Bookmark Viktor Gyokeres has more to do at Arsenal than just score goals (Image: Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images) Sign up to the free Arsenal newsletter so you don't miss the latest Gunners news, straight to your inbox More Newsletters Subscribe Please enter a valid email Something went wrong, please try again later. More Newsletters We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show me See Our Privacy Notice See Our Privacy Notice × Group 28 Sign up to the free Arsenal newsletter so you don't miss the latest Gunners news, straight to your inbox Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign Up No thanks, close We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info × Group 28 Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show Me No thanks, close See our Privacy Notice Viktor Gyokeres might not score 25 Premier League goals for Arsenal next season, and that's fine. He may not hit 20. That would also be okay. For a guy who has scored something like one million times in the past two years for Sporting CP and Sweden, and who provides very little in terms of build-up or link-up, this will sound strange. After all, Gyokeres is the proven, readymade striker that Arsenal have been after. All these summers asking for a focal point, a finisher, and someone to simply score goals (smashing the ball really hard is an added benefit) and here we are saying that actually, he doesn't even need to do that to be worthwhile. But there is logic to this. In Gyokeres, Arsenal now have something that they have been missing for years, and it's not just his goals. They have genuine backup, competition, and cover for the position as a whole. Eddie Nketiah was not rated as being adequate behind Gabriel Jesus, really, by Mikel Arteta. He wasn't deemed suitable enough to play second fiddle to Havertz, either. Jesus himself has struggled to get on the pitch to support Havertz much over the past 18 months. What this leaves is absolutely no depth. Arsenal have been Havertz or bust at No.9 since the start of 2024. That is an incredible load to carry, even if Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard have done their utmost to share the burden. Read More Related Articles Mikel Arteta's classy moment and why next Viktor Gyokeres Arsenal opportunity will be different Read More Related Articles Gyokeres impact, Dowman breakthrough and Arsenal left-side issue remains in Tottenham defeat Read More Related Articles Why Pedro Porro shoved Mikel Arteta as Tottenham beat Arsenal in heated North London Derby The form of Gabriel Martinelli more recently has added to some of the concern in the frontline. Gyokeres does not solve this, but he does provide another option for Arteta. When Havertz has not played for Arsenal, they have been left without a natural No.9. That is not the foundation that a title-winning team is built upon. Gyokeres, if nothing else, will mean that Arsenal can turn to a true centre forward much more consistently. Last season, for example, Kai Havertz played 1,900 minutes out of a possible 3,400. Most of those were as a striker, which leaves over 50% to be played by someone else. From January, there was no Jesus to call on. Mikel Merino, Leandro Trossard, Martinelli, and even Ethan Nwaneri were used at points. It is almost impossible to compete at the very top with these such names playing more than half of the available minutes up front. Behind Havertz, or just alongside him, there was nothing reliable to turn to. Jesus' 600 league minutes still leave Arsenal 1,000 short across the season. That needed to be filled by someone whose natural position is not at striker. So, whether Gyokeres is starting, coming off the bench, scoring, or not, he will be allowing Arteta to better make use of his available striker minutes. Add in his undoubted quality, and Arsenal are onto a winner. They have two different profiles of striker, one of whom can also play deeper when needed. If both can stay fit then Arsenal will be maximising their striker output and keeping them fit as well. You cannot quantify this in terms of goals, but it must be factored into how he is judged, because it will make Arsenal are much more well-rounded team, regardless of output. This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more Sky Sports deal Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more. Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more. £35 Sky Get Sky Sports here Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Follow Football London Facebook X (Twitter) Comment More On Viktor Gyokeres Kai Havertz Gabriel Jesus

Viktor Gyokeres has more to do at Arsenal than just score goals (Image: Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

Viktor Gyokeres might not score 25 Premier League goals for Arsenal next season, and that's fine. He may not hit 20. That would also be okay.

For a guy who has scored something like one million times in the past two years for Sporting CP and Sweden, and who provides very little in terms of build-up or link-up, this will sound strange. After all, Gyokeres is the proven, readymade striker that Arsenal have been after.

All these summers asking for a focal point, a finisher, and someone to simply score goals (smashing the ball really hard is an added benefit) and here we are saying that actually, he doesn't even need to do that to be worthwhile. But there is logic to this.

In Gyokeres, Arsenal now have something that they have been missing for years, and it's not just his goals. They have genuine backup, competition, and cover for the position as a whole.

Eddie Nketiah was not rated as being adequate behind Gabriel Jesus, really, by Mikel Arteta. He wasn't deemed suitable enough to play second fiddle to Havertz, either. Jesus himself has struggled to get on the pitch to support Havertz much over the past 18 months.

What this leaves is absolutely no depth. Arsenal have been Havertz or bust at No.9 since the start of 2024. That is an incredible load to carry, even if Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard have done their utmost to share the burden.

The form of Gabriel Martinelli more recently has added to some of the concern in the frontline. Gyokeres does not solve this, but he does provide another option for Arteta.

When Havertz has not played for Arsenal, they have been left without a natural No.9. That is not the foundation that a title-winning team is built upon.

Gyokeres, if nothing else, will mean that Arsenal can turn to a true centre forward much more consistently. Last season, for example, Kai Havertz played 1,900 minutes out of a possible 3,400. Most of those were as a striker, which leaves over 50% to be played by someone else.

From January, there was no Jesus to call on. Mikel Merino, Leandro Trossard, Martinelli, and even Ethan Nwaneri were used at points. It is almost impossible to compete at the very top with these such names playing more than half of the available minutes up front.

Behind Havertz, or just alongside him, there was nothing reliable to turn to. Jesus' 600 league minutes still leave Arsenal 1,000 short across the season. That needed to be filled by someone whose natural position is not at striker.

So, whether Gyokeres is starting, coming off the bench, scoring, or not, he will be allowing Arteta to better make use of his available striker minutes. Add in his undoubted quality, and Arsenal are onto a winner.

They have two different profiles of striker, one of whom can also play deeper when needed. If both can stay fit then Arsenal will be maximising their striker output and keeping them fit as well. You cannot quantify this in terms of goals, but it must be factored into how he is judged, because it will make Arsenal are much more well-rounded team, regardless of output.