Arsenal forward Viktor Gyokeres has potentially landed himself in hot water with the club's passionate fanbase after publicly praising two former Tottenham Hotspur legends. The Swedish international, who joined from Sporting Lisbon last summer, made the controversial comments during a recent interview where he was asked to build his ultimate striker from various footballing attributes.
Mixed Debut Season in North London
Gyokeres has experienced a somewhat inconsistent first campaign with Arsenal since his high-profile transfer. While the 27-year-old has managed to score 18 goals across all competitions, including 12 in the Premier League, his overall contributions have drawn criticism from certain quarters. His adaptation to English football has been closely scrutinized, particularly given Arsenal's ongoing title challenge.
Praising Tottenham Icons
When asked by TNT Sports about which player possessed the best finishing in world football, Gyokeres surprisingly selected Tottenham's all-time record goalscorer Harry Kane. The England captain netted an incredible 280 goals in 435 appearances for Spurs before his move to Bayern Munich, where he has continued his prolific scoring with 136 goals in just three seasons and recently secured his second Bundesliga title.
Gyokeres didn't stop there. When considering which footballer had the best first touch, he named another former Tottenham striker: Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian forward joined Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen in 2006 and scored 46 goals across two seasons before transferring to Manchester United, where he won multiple Premier League titles.
Other Selections in Ultimate Striker
The Arsenal forward did show some self-confidence in the interview, selecting himself as the best penalty taker. For other attributes, he chose:
- Pace: Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)
- Strength: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
- Dribbling: Ronaldo Nazario
- Composure: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr)
Gyokeres will undoubtedly hope to incorporate elements from these footballing greats as Arsenal chase the Premier League title in the closing weeks of the season. The Gunners currently sit top of the table, though their lead has been cut to just three points following a recent defeat at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium.
Controversial Team Selection Decision
The striker's comments come amid controversy surrounding his recent absence from Arsenal's starting lineup. Former England captain Wayne Rooney publicly criticized manager Mikel Arteta's decision to bench Gyokeres for the crucial Manchester City match.
Rooney stated: "I think these decisions - if he comes on and scores the winner or scores the equalizing goal - obviously it's the right decision. I thought with him not starting, Arsenal would've tried to sit in there. It was a strange one him not starting because you bring a No.9 in which they've been looking for all season, and I actually think he's done OK. To not start him in such a big game I think that might affect him."
Gyokeres now faces the dual challenge of winning over skeptical supporters while helping Arsenal secure their first Premier League title in two decades. His public admiration for Tottenham icons has certainly complicated his relationship with the Arsenal faithful, who traditionally view their North London rivals with intense rivalry and disdain.
