Viktor Gyokeres has admitted frustration at a lack of game time at Arsenal this season, while also addressing transfer speculation. The Swedish striker was at the centre of intense transfer speculation throughout the summer, but has revealed he was never close to leaving the club.
Transfer Speculation and Staying Put
Despite only arriving from Sporting CP last summer and going on to score 21 goals across all competitions in his debut season, including 14 in the Premier League, Gyokeres was heavily linked with an exit from Arsenal during the recent transfer window. There had been talk of Gyokeres being used as makeweight in a swap deal for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, and there were rumours of a Barcelona switch leading up to transfer Deadline Day.
Ultimately, the striker stayed put. “Of course, there was a lot of speculation,” Gyokeres told Swedish news outlet SVT Sport. “But I had a full pre-season, and it felt good. I was fully focused on Arsenal. For me, staying was a given. I’m extremely happy at the club.”
Frustration at Limited Game Time
Gyokeres’ happiness at Arsenal is mixed in with a little frustration having failed to start a Premier League game so far this season and being an unused substitute in three of the five matches. “Of course, it’s frustrating, no matter where you are,” he added. “You always want to be on the pitch and make a contribution, score goals. It can be frustrating at times, but I just try to do my best when I get the chance and focus on what I can control.”
Reflecting on the previous campaign, he said: “It felt good last season; we won the league and did well in all the other competitions too. Of course, we could have won another title, but winning the Premier League after a 22-year wait is certainly something to be proud of.”
International Form
Gyokeres is up and running for goals this season after netting what turned out to be the winner for Sweden in their Nations League clash against Romania on Friday evening. The Arsenal striker is poised to play an even bigger role for his national team for the remainder of the autumn international break after Alexander Isak returned to Liverpool for assessment over a minor injury.
