On a sunny afternoon at the Emirates, Arsenal supporters finally got what they’d been waiting for — a first glimpse of Viktor Gyokeres doing what he was brought in to do: put the ball in the back of the net.
And if Mikel Arteta’s words are anything to go by, this was just a taste of what’s to come.
A Long-Awaited No.9 Finally Delivers
It’s been quite the wait for Arsenal to bring in a proper centre-forward, but last month they splashed out £64 million to lure Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon.
The Swedish striker had been settling into life in north London, with two quiet cameos against Tottenham in Hong Kong and Villarreal in midweek.
But in their final pre-season test against Athletic Bilbao, the 27-year-old made his mark.
He opened the scoring in a 3-0 Emirates Cup win, rising high to meet Martin Zubimendi’s cross with a powerful header — a type of goal that had been rare for him in Portugal.
Silencing the Doubters
Gyokeres had only scored five headers during his 102 appearances for Sporting, something rival fans were quick to mock.
Yet, on Saturday, he answered them in emphatic fashion. The goal didn’t just break his duck for Arsenal, it set the tone for the afternoon.
Moments later, Bukayo Saka doubled the lead, and Kai Havertz wrapped things up with a late third.
Arteta’s Big Warning to the League
Speaking after the match, Arteta couldn’t hide his excitement. “That first goal is always very important,” he said.
“The way he took it — really well. His movement, timing, and ability to read where the space is going to be, that’s his instinct.
That’s why he’s scored so many goals in the last few seasons.”
Arteta also hinted at the chaos Gyokeres could cause for Premier League defences. “He pins both centre-backs. If you give him space one-on-one, he’s going to destroy you.
He’ll create so much space for us, and in any situation, he’s someone who can score.”
Eyes on Manchester United
With pre-season now wrapped up, Arsenal’s attention turns to the real thing.
They’ll kick off their Premier League campaign next Sunday with a mouth-watering clash against Manchester United — and you can bet all eyes will be on their new No.9 to see if he can carry this momentum into competitive action.
