Arsenal's record signing Viktor Gyokeres has found himself under intense scrutiny just months after his big-money move to North London, with former Premier League winner Dwight Yorke delivering a brutal assessment of the Swedish striker's capabilities.
Yorke's Damning Verdict
Dwight Yorke, who won multiple trophies with Manchester United, has openly questioned whether Gyokeres possesses the quality to succeed at the highest level. The Trinidad and Tobago legend told Swedish outlet Snabbare that while Gyokeres is "a very good player," he falls short of being "world class."
Yorke expressed concerns that the 26-year-old could ultimately become "just another player in the Arsenal squad" and end up being "average" if he fails to establish himself as a dominant force. The criticism comes despite Gyokeres joining Arsenal for £63 million after two prolific seasons with Sporting Lisbon, where he netted an impressive 97 goals.
Mixed Start to Premier League Life
Gyokeres' transition to English football's top flight has been closely watched since his summer switch. While he currently sits as Arsenal's joint-top scorer this season with six goals, level with Bukayo Saka, his output hasn't matched the explosive form he showed in Portugal.
The striker recently ended a seven-game goal drought with a brace in the Champions League last month, highlighting the adaptation period required after moving from Liga Portugal. Arsenal nevertheless remain top of the Premier League, with multiple players contributing goals across the team.
The Personality Test
Yorke emphasised the mental challenge facing Gyokeres, drawing parallels with his own experience joining Manchester United. "He's got to have a big personality to walk in, like I did at United, and not feel like any of the other guys are better than you," Yorke stated.
The former striker believes Arsenal's style of play will benefit Gyokeres, suggesting that the team's dominance in matches should create numerous scoring opportunities. However, he cautioned that the Premier League presents a significantly tougher challenge than the Portuguese top division.
Despite the external criticism, Gyokeres has received backing from within the Arsenal camp. Teammate Bukayo Saka has publicly defended the Swedish international, suggesting that much of his valuable work goes beyond simple goal statistics and ultimately benefits the team's overall performance.
As Arsenal continue their pursuit of the Premier League title, all eyes will remain on their expensive centre-forward to see if he can silence his doubters and prove his worth in English football's demanding environment.
