Inside Viktor Gyokeres' rollercoaster career as former team-mates and bosses tell Arsenal fans what to expect
The Swedish striker, 27, has had a roller-coaster career already so far.
11
Those who know Viktor Gyokeres best have had their say on the in-demand striker
Credit: AFP
11
Gyokeres is rumoured to have split with girlfriend Ines Aguiar to give himself a completely fresh start in England
Credit: X
SunSport has spoken to coaches, managers and players who have seen
But do the words of those who know him best paint a picture of someone who can fire
IFK ASPUDDEN-TELLUS: 2004-2014
Bjorn Thuresson is chairman of the youth club where Gyokeres started age five until he was 16...
"We are a lovely, local club and attract players from the area. We do not own our pitches and we do not have any employees.
READ MORE SPORT STORIES
"Viktor's father, Stefan, was also his team's trainer the time he was with us. He had good players with him but Viktor the best of the lot. When he turned 16, he moved to IF Brommapojkarna.
"We are lucky because we have received solidarity payments. Fifa uses a thing called Clearing House to ensure training clubs receive compensation when young players are transferred to new clubs.
"It's for players aged between 12 and 20 so that relates to Viktor's time with us.
"We got a little when he went to Brighton and a little more when he went to Coventry. And now we could get a little more. A lot more, actually. So far, we have got over €200,000 (£173,000).
Most read in Football
CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
"We did not get paid by Brighton or Coventry but we got the money from Fifa.
"You see a massive spread sheet and see who gets what. We get roughly one per cent of a transfer fee so if Viktor's transfer fee to Arsenal is the sum we are reading, then it will be a lot (about £800,000).
Why Mikel Arteta must deliver best team in London a trophy | Arsenal Exposed
"In the past, we have used the money to invest in more equipment and send the players to more camps. It is quite incredible.
"Viktor has not visited us since he left but when some of our players go to the national team at youth level, and he sees which club they are from, he goes up to them and says hello.
"We are all proud of him."
IF BROMMAPOJKARNA: 2014-2017
Peter Kisfaludy was one of his youth coaches before he broke into the first team...
"The first time I met Viktor was when he was 11 and we took him to a tournament in Finland on loan from his youth club Aspudden-Tellus. Then, he joined the club at 16.
"At 13, he started at a school where I coach in the mornings before the first lessons. I have also coached Dejan Kulusevski and Lucas Bergvall there.
"Viktor was a late bloomer but he has the same goalscoring style he has now and was always like a tank running with a ball. You could also say he is like the Swedish Orient Express.
"He has always been a winner. For a long time, his girlfriend was the footballer Amanda Nilden who plays for Spurs.
"They went on holiday to Spain and she is really good at table tennis. They also had a game of tennis and she won so they did not speak for two days.
"They are both really bad losers.
11
Gyokeres used to date now-Tottenham star Amanda Nilde
Credit: @bpfotboll
11
Viktor Gyokeres started his senior career at IF Brommapojkarna
Credit: Instagram @viktorgyokeres
"It has been so nice to see him progress and he has not changed. This year, I was in Portugal scouting players when there was a massive power outage - along with Spain - and there was no electricity in either country.
"The restaurant would not make us food and I could not buy a bottle of water as I also had no cash and the card machines were not working.
"I called Vik and he said 'come to me'. I drove 30 minutes and he gave me lunch and gave me 100 Euros to spend in case the card machines were still not working.
"I have no doubt he will score many goals for Arsenal. If he scores twice, he will not be happy until he gets a third."
11
Gyokeres' old Brighton boss Chris Hughton didn't believe him to be a natural finisher
Credit: Getty
BRIGHTON: 2018-2021
Former manager Chris Hughton...
"When he was at
"You knew he would because he always put himself in a position to get them.
"If you asked me then, would I see him as a player that would play at one of the top clubs in the Premier League, then I would have to say probably no, more than yes.
"When he went to
"I watched him quite a few times when he was at Coventry. I was surprised that nobody took him, I must admit.
"We all know the bigger Premier League clubs want ready-made players. But certainly, I thought perhaps a club that had come up from the Championship into the Premier League or that group of Premier League clubs that are still fighting for survival might have taken him.
"What he's achieved is very much down to him. Going to Coventry and really developing his game, and then even more so abroad.
"He was a bright lad. Probably because of where he came from, his English was very good, which I think helped. He was a very mature lad, for a young one. He was a confident lad. I think he had a strong belief in his own abilities.
"If you're a No9 going to Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City, one thing you know is you're going to get lots of chances. I don't think it will faze him."
11
11
Gyokeres impressed St Pauli chiefs as he arrived on loan from Brighton
Credit: Getty
ST PAULI (loan): 2019-20
Former assistant manager Andre Trulsen...
"I had not heard of Viktor when we signed him on loan from Brighton. We were a Bundesliga 2 club.
"But he came and joined us at St Pauli and I was very impressed. He was very physical and also knew how to use his attributes. He was eager to get better and worked hard to get more minutes during games.
"Before the winter break, he worked really hard to adjust to German football and to play in our system. His efforts paid off and he played more for us in the second half of the season.
"Viktor definitely played a part in us avoiding relegation and he gave everything. I could see his potential but as if often the case in football, you could not be sure he would be so successful.
"On more than one occasion, we had to tell him to leave the training pitch because he never wanted to stop trying to get better.
"I am sure his decision to come to Hamburg and play for St Pauli was helpful for his next step and I am so pleased he has done well in Portugal
"Hopefully, he can be a big player for Arsenal and can help them to success."
11
Gyokeres struggled at Swansea but team-mates knew he could be the next Harry Kane
Credit: Getty
SWANSEA: Oct 2020 - Jan 2021
Former defender Ryan Bennett...
"There are big similarities for me between Viktor and Harry Kane.
"Viktor did not make many starts for us and was not at Swansea long and he was a bit sluggish although he did have a good mentality and was determined to succeed.
"When I was at Norwich, Harry came to us on loan and did not play much so went back to Spurs. Later on, when I played against Spurs and Harry was in the team, it was like defending against a different player.
"It was the same with Viktor after he left
"Viktor was a nice guy but struggled in Swansea and he could not drive although lived near me and sometimes I drove him to training.
"I think it was also tough for him as his girlfriend at the time was a player and they had different schedules."
11
Gyokeres was adored by Coventry fans and team-mates alike
Credit: Alamy
COVENTRY: January 2021 - July 23
Former manager Mark Robins...
"He is a brilliant lad. Good fun. Players loved him. Supporters loved him.
"He has such a dry sense of humour. He would sing in the dressing room at that point. We used to sing Sweet Caroline after every victory, regardless.
"He was almost robotic. He's metronomic with his timing, with his tempo, with everything that he did. That, in a nutshell, was why he did so well in that relatively short space of time and again, why he's gone on to do other things.
"When we first took him on loan in January 2021, he hadn't played for four or five months. But he came in and expected to start the first 10 games but there was no way on this planet that he was in a position to do that. So he needed to be patient.
"That's the thing with Vik, he's really focused, driven and in a rush. I remember against Charlton, in an Under-21s game, and he scored two goals and they were incredible. He showed power and pace.
"I asked him at the end of that game, 'You ready?' He started to contribute more and started to look more like a player.
"Towards the end of the season, you could see his trajectory was starting to go up. Then you could see he'd be a really good catch for the following season.
"There was a lot of work that I did during the summer to convince him to come permanently.
"He just went on to have two really good seasons. The second season, we just missed out on promotion, unfortunately. That was the only way we were going to keep him. And even then, we may have lost him.
"Sporting was a really good move. They had been interested for a long time.
"I think that move was already preordained and the decision was made.
"He's become one of the most talked-about strikers in Europe over the last 18 months but he deserves everything he gets because of his focus.
"At Arsenal, it will be really interesting to see where he goes and what he does."
11
Gyokeres formed a prolific strike partnership with Matt Godden, right
Credit: Getty
Matt Godden was his strike partner at Coventry...
"When he first came in, it was from January onwards, they signed him on loan from Brighton and he struggled a little bit.
"But then we signed him permanently that summer because obviously the coaching staff saw something, saw some potential in him.
"He came back that summer looking a completely different animal. It looked as though he had just gone away and smashed the gym. He came back an absolute animal and hit the ground running.
"From then, we spent two years playing together and scored quite a few goals between us.
"Then, he was adamant he was going to get us to the Premier League with his goals but unfortunately we lost on penalties to Luton.
"There's a brilliant picture of me and him against Luton (Sep 2022) at Kenilworth Road after he had scored and I've got him by the throat and the emotions are just so high. We were both so determined after a poor result away at Norwich.
"The story behind the picture is that there was all this stuff flying around that me and him didn't get along and we were both left out of the starting XI at Norwich, which was rare.
"The gaffer left us both out and I remember my wife ringing me on the way home saying 'there's all this stuff flying around social media saying you and Vik have had a fight and you're not getting on'.
"Vik was actually in the passenger seat of my car that day when she rang, I was giving him a lift to the airport and I said to my wife, 'Don't believe everything you read because he's sat next to me in the car! Nothing's gone on.'
"And the following game we played Luton needing a result because we were struggling. We went 1-0 down and he scored a great goal after showing unbelievable pace. I've got a picture of it where I've got him by the throat. It was just pure emotion.
"I play at Charlton now with Luton boys who beat us in the play-off final.
"And every one of them say he's the best all-round Championship striker they'd seen or played against.
"Sporting was a really clever move for him. He didn't want to go to a Premier League side that was going to struggle or a team that had been relegated into the Championship.
"If you're putting chances on his plate and playing to his strengths, he's going to have a real impact, and he's done it in the Champions League so is proven at the top level.
"There's no reason why he can't do well in the Premier League for Arsenal."
11
Will Gyokeres be the man to finally bring trophies back to the Emirates?
Credit: Getty
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Viktor Gyokeres, wearing a weighty Arsenal number, aims to create his own narrative
The number 14 shirt of Viktor Gyokeres is already breaking sales records at Arsenal , just days after he signed to his new club. For Arsenal fans, the jersey has a special significance: their new centre forward will wear the same number as the club's record goal scorer, Thierry Henry. But Gyokeres has rejected comparisons with Henry, insisting that he wants to write his own story in north London. 'Of course I know about the history,' said Gyokeres, the 27-year-old from Sweden, speaking at Arsenal's Hong Kong hotel during its preseason tour through Asia. 'But, to be honest, there weren't too many numbers to pick from. But of course, that one was available, so when I knew that, it was an easy choice to take it. 'It's not really my intention to be compared with what he's achieved in his career, especially here. I just want to do my own thing and show my qualities. Of course, he was an amazing player, but different from me.' READ MORE Manager Mikel Arteta saw Gyokeres's willingness to take number 14 as a sign of self-belief. 'I use the word conviction,' Arteta told a news conference after open training at the Kai Tak Stadium. 'That's the first thing that I noticed when I spoke to him. 'Someone very determined, someone that was already really attached to the club, the way he was talking about the club, the history and, in this case, Thierry and what the shirt represented. He straight away felt it, and when you feel it, go for it.' Speaking to the media for the first time since joining Arsenal for an initial fee of €63.5 million, Gyokeres gave the impression of a player laser-focused on his on-field performance. Gyokeres's reputation and his goalscoring record, along with that iconic number 14 shirt, come with certain expectations. But he shows no signs of feeling external pressure. 'I think I have enough expectations on myself,' he said. 'I'll just try to perform, to be honest. It's not really up to me how people think or expect.' Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal playing against Tottenham Hotspur. Photograph: Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty There is a quiet assurance to Gyokeres. On the field, he can be a dominant force. Off it, his size and stature are striking, but they are contrasted with a more reserved nature. When the conversation centres on his individual qualities, he prefers to deflect, emphasising the importance of self-improvement and the team ethic. Gyokeres was presented to fans on July 27th before the team's 3-2 friendly win over Newcastle United in Singapore, and received a rapturous ovation. 'Of course, it's great to see,' he said of the reception at the Singapore National Stadium. 'That gives you extra motivation coming into it. I'm just looking forward to starting even more.' Gyokeres then made his first appearance for Arsenal on Thursday against Tottenham Hotspur, when he came on in the 77th minute of a 1-0 loss in Hong Kong. He had to wait patiently for that moment. The latter stages of his move from Sporting Lisbon became contentious, as the two teams haggled over terms. 'It's been a new experience,' he said. 'I haven't really been in that situation before. It's been a lot of waiting from my side. I wanted to come here, but it wasn't that easy. But I'm finally here and it feels great.' Throughout those tense negotiations, Arsenal's hand was strengthened by Gyokeres's insistence on joining them. 'I felt that they wanted me here,' he said. 'But also because it's a very big club with a lot of history. I just felt that I really wanted to come here and be a part of this club.' There were other interested parties. Sporting fielded a late inquiry from Manchester United, but Gyokeres was determined to join Arsenal. Gyokeres's transfer brings him back to the UK, where he had spells with Brighton, Swansea City and Coventry City. He left Brighton in 2021 without playing a single minute of Premier League soccer in three years on their books, and now returns to the competition as a star. Viktor Gyokeres, when at Sporting Lisbon, celebrates. Photograph: Patricio De Melo Moreira/AFP via Getty 'Obviously, it's the best league in the world, so of course that was always a goal to play in the Premier League,' he said. 'So when I felt it was the right time, I didn't hesitate to come back.' Gyokeres believes that his previous five years' experience of English soccer could accelerate his adaptation. 'I think it makes it easier,' he said. 'I'm used to the weather and everything around, so some aspects I think it helps. 'But of course, there are a lot of new things as well: a new group, a new idea of playing. I think I need to adapt to that as well.' Gyokeres scored 97 goals in 104 appearances for Sporting, but he has not set any specific goalscoring targets for the coming season. He said he had already spoken to Arteta about the plans for him. 'He just said to try to use my qualities as much as I can,' Gyokeres said, adding: 'So far, it's been feeling great. I'm looking forward to doing even more.' The club captain Martin Odegaard, from Norway, has played his part helping Gyokeres to settle in. 'With the language and everything, it is a bit easier for me to help him,' Odegaard said. 'We can speak our own languages. And Scandinavians always bond well together – in that way it has been really natural. Every new player we always try to help them in the best possible way.' Gyokeres has watched Arsenal in recent months, but he rejected the idea that he is the missing piece of a trophy-winning jigsaw. He believes that if Arsenal is to achieve its targets, it will be a collective effort. 'I think you need everyone on the pitch, to be honest,' he said. 'You need 11 on the pitch and people on the bench as well that can make an impact. You need a whole team that are together and play together. Then I think you have a very good chance to have a great season.' – New York Times 2025 The New York Times Company
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Arsenal and Liverpool's transfer plans rocked as Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi look likely to stay at Crystal Palace
MARC GUEHI and Eberechi Eze could both end up STAYING at Crystal Palace this season. Liverpool, Newcastle and Spurs want England defender Guehi while Arsenal remain interested in Eze. 3 Marc Guehi could well stay at Crystal Palace despite interest from Liverpool, Newcastle and Tottenham Credit: Getty 3 Eberechi Eze may also stay put at Selhurst Park in spite of Arsenal's keen interest Credit: Getty Although there is still a month left of the transfer window, it seems increasingly likely that both stars will remain at Selhurst Park. Palace have not received any firm offers for either player and are in no rush to sell. This is good news for the club's fans who are still reeling from their European heartbreak and the fact they look set to be demoted into the Conference League. Liverpool have been favourites to land centre-back Guehi and have been in talks with his representatives. READ MORE SPORT STORIES LOOKING TO SCORE? Single Sydney Sweeney inundated with DMs from randy Prem aces after split The centre-back has just one year left of his contract but has not been pushing for a move. And the Premier League champions rate him at around £40million - £10m short of Palace's asking price. Spurs are still interested having failed with a £70m bid in January while Newcastle had three offers turned down a year ago. Toon have revived their interest this summer, but are still £10m below Palace's valuation. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS That mean, as SunSport revealed in May, Guehi could now run down the final year of his contract and leave on a free transfer, opening up a potential switch to Barcelona or Real Madrid. And the Eagles are increasingly confident of keeping him this summer. Crystal Palace legend Geoff Thomas slams Uefa for denying them a Europa League place 3 TRANSFER NEWS LIVE - KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST FROM A BUSY SUMMER WINDOW Attacking midfielder Eze has been in line for a move to Arsenal and is keen to move to the Emirates. Yet the Gunners are not prepared to trigger his £68m release clause. With Palace not needing to sell financially, they are unlikely to lower their demands and Arsenal could look at other targets. The club's fans are still stunned at Uefa's decision to drop them into this season's Conference League despite qualifying for the Europa League after winning the FA Cup. Palace's appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will be on Friday. They were demoted to the third-tier Conference League by Uefa's Club Financial Control Body in a multi-club ownership case.
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Rodrygo ‘wants Liverpool transfer with Arsenal move unlikely due to Real Madrid outcast's demands'
The Brazil international recently dropped a transfer bombshell about one of the Prem giants KEEN ON THE KOP Rodrygo 'wants Liverpool transfer with Arsenal move unlikely due to Real Madrid outcast's demands' REAL MADRID ace Rodrygo is reportedly favouring a move to Liverpool over a transfer to Arsenal. The Brazil ace is being eyed by the Premier League giants, who are keen on signing yet more reinforcements before the transfer window closes at the end of the month. Advertisement 3 Prem duo Arsenal and Liverpool are both keen on signing Rodrygo from Real Madrid Credit: GETTY 3 But the Brazilian is said to prefer a move to Anfield over an Emirates switch Credit: GETTY Play Dream Team now! Play The Sun Dream Team ahead of the 2025/26 season Free to play Over £100,000 in total prize money Play in Mini Leagues against your mates Submit a team for Gameweek 1 to enter £5,000 prize draw Play via Dream Team's app or website today! Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is understood to have begun weighing up a move for Rodrygo before turning his attention to prising Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace's clutches. But, according to reports, he could be pipped to the winger's signature by the Reds. ESPN claim Anfield is the Samba star's "preferred destination" if he's to leave the Bernabeu. They also claim Arsenal opted to pursue the signature of Noni Madueke ahead of Rodrygo as the Brazilian's demands were "too high". Advertisement READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS owls of rage Sheff Wed players release unprecedented statement with crisis club in turmoil Rodrygo's reported eagerness to join Liverpool could stem from the fact that the Kop club tried to sign him from Santos the best part of a decade ago. He revealed: "We didn't close the deal because I didn't want to. "I wanted to stay at Santos even though the offer was very good. "The pathway they promised me would also have been very good for my career. Advertisement SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN 3 "I was going to finish my studies in England to prepare for European football. "It had always been my dream to play in Europe. Advertisement Gabriel urges Arsenal to complete £67m transfer for 'phenomenal' Brazil team-mate Rodrygo amid Real Madrid frustration "Everything was very good, but my desire spoke louder. I wanted to stay at Santos and make a bit of history at the club." "And that's what happened - I was able to fulfil my dream of playing for Santos. "But it's true, I almost went to Liverpool.'
