Arsenal Transfer News: Why goal-machine Gyokeres should be Gunners number one striker target

Viktor Gyokeres is quite remarkable. Despite a failed move away from Sporting CP in the summer, he has continued to truly dominate this season. It's atypical. Players are not supposed to be this good after a move does not take place. They usually go back into their hole and fade into obscurity. Not Gyokeres. He is performing even better than the season prior. Last term he provided a goal contribution every 1.36 games. 

This season, his nine goals and three assists in seven games equate to a goal every 1.42 matches. If clubs were unsure during the summer window about paying the release clause, it's like Gyokeres is punishing them now, even if we are quite early into the campaign. FootballTransfers recently reported that Arsenal remain very much on his tail with scouts watching the 26-year-old extensively last season.

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Viktor Gyokeres Transfer Value - how much is he worth now?  

According to FootballTransfers' Player Valuation Model, Gyokeres has a current Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €25.6 million, while we have him as being the 3rd most valuable Swedish players in the world and the fourth best.

The valuation is perhaps not as high as some might feel is justified, but ultimately Gyokeres has yet to establish himself in the top-five leagues of football. 

What does Viktor Gyokeres bring to the table? 

The striker's rise over the past year has been meteoric. Typically, release clauses are inserted by agents to facilitate a future transfer. Often, the agent or the club will leak this information to alert other potentially interested sides that can afford it, particularly in the Premier League. Gyokeres recently addressed the clause in his Sporting CP contract, stating that he is happy in Portugal but also leaving the door open for a possible move. 

"The release clause into my contract is high as it’s worth €100m but I’m happy at Sporting, so there’s no problem”. I had no problems when I had to stay here. My value is there, that’s it. We will see when something happens”. 

Gyokeres joined Brighton in 2018, starting with the Under-23 squad before becoming loan fodder, with periods with St Pauli and Swansea City. 

He eventually made a permanent move to Coventry City in 2021 after a loan spell there. During his time in the Midlands, Gyokeres scored 40 goals in 97 Championship games, attracting the attention of Sporting CP. Head coach Ruben Amorim pushed and the club signed him in 2023 for a club-record €20 million. Since then, he has scored 52 goals in 57 games in all competitions. 

Gyokeres is something of an every-man as a No.9. He can be found with lofted balls, using his towering 6 ft 2 in height, or is able to get in behind the backline by using his acceleration to exploit gaps. Like most elite strikers, his biggest quality is finishing. He can use both feet to find the net in a variety of angles and situations. Despite being a No.9, he is comfortable in picking up recoveries on the wing and then driving into the box, taking opponents on. 

He is positionally superb, a trait that some clubs value even more than striking ability. Being able to make perfectly timed runs or be in the right spot to receive the ball often counts more than just finding the net, which can sometimes be a matter of confidence.

This is why clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea, and Newcastle were linked with Dominic Calvert-Lewin over the summer, and why Liverpool have maintained their faith in Darwin Núñez. Even when the goals aren't coming, their movement makes them highly capable Premier League strikers on their day. 

Gyokeres, with his sharp change of direction and quick feet, can weave through opponents despite his larger frame. He excels at navigating the ball with heavier touches that push it beyond defenders, forcing them to turn their backs as he glides clear.

According to WhoScored, the Swedish international has been rated 8.75 for the season. Their new xG model shows he has scored five goals from an expected 6.64, indicating top-level form. While Gyokeres remains at Sporting CP this season, continuing this performance will likely attract more serious interest from elite clubs ahead of 2025.

This article was provided by FootballTransfers.