Former Arsenal winger Jermaine Pennant has compared Viktor Gyokeres to Darwin Nunez, suggesting the Sweden international may need time to adapt to the Premier League. Gyokeres, who joined Arsenal from Sporting CP for a fee rising to £63.6 million, has scored five goals in 15 league games this season.
Pennant noted that Gyokeres' prolific record in Portugal—97 goals in 102 games—does not guarantee immediate success in England. He cited Nunez, who scored 48 goals in 85 games for Benfica but managed only 40 in 143 appearances for Liverpool, as a cautionary example.
Speaking exclusively to Mirror Football via Casino Groups, Pennant said: 'You can’t expect him to get the numbers he was scoring for Lisbon as this is the Premier League, not the Portuguese league. It can take time to get up to speed.' He added that Gyokeres is 'doing well' and contributing to Arsenal's title charge.
Pennant argued that Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, whom Arsenal had previously targeted, would have been a better fit due to his Premier League experience. However, he stressed that Arsenal made no mistake in signing Gyokeres, saying: 'Did Arsenal make a mistake? Absolutely not.'
Gyokeres scored a penalty winner against Everton last weekend and will aim to continue his form as Arsenal host Brighton.
