Arsenal's significant summer signing, Viktor Gyokeres, has received clear advice on the key area he must improve to truly succeed in the Premier League: his physical conditioning.
The Fitness Challenge for a 'Heavy' Player
The Swedish international, who joined the Gunners from Sporting CP for a fee of £63.7 million, is currently recovering from a muscle problem. This injury has kept him out of Arsenal's last two matches and also forced him to miss the recent international break with Sweden, under new manager Graham Potter.
Since his high-profile move to North London, Gyokeres has managed to find the net six times, with four of those goals coming in the Premier League. However, his integration has been hampered by the lack of a full pre-season with his new teammates.
Expert Analysis from a Former Gunner
Former Arsenal and Sweden midfielder Stefan Schwarz has analysed the striker's start to life at the Emirates. While praising Gyokeres's attributes, Schwarz pinpointed fitness as the crucial factor for unlocking his full potential.
"He's in a strong team. Arsenal has been fighting for the big titles, so maybe he can help the team to take this big step," Schwarz stated in an interview with Hajper. "He's a strong, physical guy, and a good finisher with both feet. However, he needs to get his fitness up."
Schwarz elaborated on the unique demands of English football, noting, "Sometimes the dog who barks loudest is not always the strongest. I think it's just the players in the Premier League. They are more powerful players, faster players."
Looking Ahead: The Path to Improvement
Commenting specifically on the striker's physical condition ahead of Arsenal's crucial clash with Tottenham, Schwarz offered a targeted suggestion. "Hopefully, he'll start to create and score goals, have a good run, get that real boost, and get a bit lighter because he's a heavy player. I think that would help."
The former midfielder also highlighted the disadvantage of Gyokeres's disrupted preparation. "He didn't have a proper pre-season, and you need to play the games. You have those six weeks to interact with your colleagues, to understand the movement."
Despite the current challenges, Schwarz expressed strong confidence in the striker's future prospects. "He will learn and score a lot of goals, and that will benefit Arsenal," he affirmed, drawing a comparison to the legendary Dennis Bergkamp's understanding with his teammates.
With Arsenal boasting a deep squad, Schwarz also noted that Gyokeres will face rotation, but believes the player is in the right environment under Mikel Arteta to develop and ultimately justify his substantial price tag.
