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Metro
2 days ago
- Sport
- Metro
Thierry Henry sends message to Arsenal over £64m Viktor Gyokeres transfer
Thierry Henry says Viktor Gyokeres 'should be perfect' for Arsenal but has called for patience with the £64m summer signing. Mikel Arteta was desperate to sign a new striker this summer and sanctioned Arsenal's deal for ex-Sporting star Gyokeres. Arsenal considered new Manchester United signing Benjamin Sesko earlier in the summer before putting their faith in Sweden international Gyokeres. Gyokeres enjoyed two brilliant seasons at Sporting, scoring 97 goals in 102 appearances, and will hope to enjoy more success at the Emirates Stadium. Henry, the best Arsenal striker in history, has high hopes for Gyokeres and says he looks to be a 'perfect match' for what the Gunners require. Metro's new weekly football newsletter: In The Mixer. Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk sent straight to your inbox every Friday – sign up, it's an open goal. However, Henry insists the move might not 'click straight away' and has urged Arsenal fans to be patient as Gyokeres adapts to a new club and Premier League football. 'It's always unfair because when I talk about a striker, it brings an unnecessary pressure, sometimes, because whenever I say something it goes above and beyond,' the Premier League legend told Betway. 'What I would say about Gyokeres is that you saw his goal against Athletic Club the other day. That instinct and understanding to anticipate the cross, a great header with soft touch to guide it to the other side of the goal – he is a proper No. 9. That's the goal of a 9. 'He is not a Firmino type of 9 that's going to drop into midfield. He wants to be in the box, in between the posts, and he said it himself – please put the ball in the box and serve me. 'You have a guy that's a killer in the box – numbers don't lie – and you have a team that create a lot of chances, so it should be the perfect match, but you have to also understand that sometimes it doesn't click straight away. Viktor Gyokeres has widely been described as the final piece of the jigsaw for an Arsenal side that have come agonisingly close to winning the Premier League. But the same was said about Romelu Lukaku upon his return to Chelsea in 2021 and we know how that worked out. Gyokeres' stats for Sporting were incredible but Darwin Nunez enjoyed similar success in Portugal before underwhelming in the Premier League. It's taken a fair while for Gyokeres, 27, to earn a move to one of Europe's top five leagues. This time two years ago, in fact, he had just spent his fourth successive season in the Championship, scoring a respectable but far from remarkable 21 goals in 46 games. He's an upgrade on Kai Havertz but don't expect mind-blowing returns from a player who has been branded a 'gamble' by the likes of Paul Scholes and Gary Lineker. 'I don't think he's the guy,' Rio Ferdinand even said shortly after his £64m move to north London was announced. Mikel Arteta doesn't get too many signings wrong but it was him, remember, who pushed to sign Raheem Sterling last summer. Arsenal were torn between signing Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko earlier in the summer. Time will tell if they made the right decision. Louis Sealey, Metro Deputy Sports Editor 'What you want is people to be patient with him, and what is annoying right now is that people are not that patient anymore. 'They want the guy to perform straight away, score goals straight away and make us win straight away, which doesn't happen often. 'He already was in England, let's not forget that. He was at Coventry, he couldn't do it at Brighton, so you can see a guy who already knows what struggling is and comes back from that. 'He's more confident, and you can see from his body the way he's looked after himself, the way he's changed. 'I love when people show me what they can do, and then I can talk. Right now, people love to talk before the performance. 'I'm an Arsenal fan, I obviously hope he's going to do well, bang goals for us, and guide us to a title, but he's not going to do that alone. 'We have seen that goals don't always assure you a title. We've seen guys with mad numbers, but they didn't win anything. The team around them has to be good. More Trending 'From what I've seen from him and how he finishes, hopefully it's going to be a great match and we can finally go back to lift that trophy. But as I've said, a lot of teams want to lift that.' As Henry mentioned, Gyokeres scored his first goal for Arsenal in the pre-season friendly against Athletic Bilbao last week. The prolific striker is expected to start at Old Trafford on Sunday when Arsenal kick-start their Premier League campaign against Manchester United. Arsenal have also signed Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera and Christian Norgaard this summer. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Chelsea vs Crystal Palace: Latest team news, predicted lineups and injuries MORE: Rio Ferdinand urges Man Utd star to accept transfer offer and backs £120m signing MORE: Sekou Kone update after Man Utd starlet suffers horror head injury
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Cristiano Ronaldo gives clear verdict on Viktor Gyokeres to Arsenal transfer
Viktor Gyokeres has followed Cristiano Ronaldo by leaving Sporting CP for the Premier League, and the Portugal star has had his say on Arsenal's new starting striker Former Sporting CP star Cristiano Ronaldo is confident of ex-Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres' quality. The Swedish striker, who scored more than 50 goals for the Portuguese side last term, has been hailed by Ronaldo as a "special" footballer. Gyokeres played under Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim in Portugal, and there had been suggestions he would follow Ronaldo's path by leaving the Lisbon club for a move to Old Trafford. Instead, he has chosen Arsenal and will line up against United this weekend. Ronaldo was up against Portuguese opposition in pre-season, scoring a hat-trick as Al-Nassr beat Rio Ave 4-0. After the game, he was asked about his former club's hopes of defending their title, and suggested the loss of Gyokeres will be keenly felt. "I hope it's a competitive league. I always hope for the best and that Sporting can be champions again," Ronaldo said, per Goal. "Gyokeres? We only miss those who are there, that's what they say. I believe Sporting will be competitive. "Gyokeres was a special player, but the team will have to adapt. I believe [Luis] Suarez, who arrived from Almeria, is an excellent forward. [Conrad] Harder is also a good player, young, and needs time. I saw the Super Cup; Sporting performed well against Benfica, but they didn't win because they couldn't—that's football." Gyokeres made his first Arsenal appearance during the club's pre-season tour, in a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. He also drew a blank in a 3-2 defeat to Villarreal, but opened his Gunners account as they beat Athletic Club over the weekend. Arsenal won that game 3-0, ensuring they go into their league opener against United on a high. After the game, manager Mikel Arteta was asked about Gyokeres and what he can bring to the table this term. "That's his nature," Arteta said when asked about Gyokeres' desire to score. "I think everything that he does, his movement, the way he times his runs, the way he predicts the next move and where the space can be and where the ball is going to land, that's the instinct that he has, that's why he's scored so many goals in the last few seasons so that's not a coincidence, it's his ability and he's constantly looking for it. " I think his goals, his threat, I think he pins both centre backs, he's a player that when you're living with a space, one against one, he's going to destroy you," Arteta added when asked about the striker's qualities. "So he's going to create a lot of space as well for us and yeah, the moment that in any situation there is a player there that can score a goal." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Mirror
30-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Viktor Gyokeres explains why he rejected Man Utd transfer and sends Ruben Amorim warning
Viktor Gyokeres, who turned down a move to Manchester United in favour of Arsenal, has shed further light on why he decided to link up with Mikel Arteta Viktor Gyokeres has delivered a blunt message to Manchester United – I'll be ready. The £63.7million striker, who turned down a move to Old Trafford in favour of Arsenal, has told his ex-Sporting boss Ruben Amorim and United exactly what to expect on day one of the new Premier League season. Fresh off a solo training regime while waiting for his long transfer saga to end, Gyokeres has now joined his new Gunners team-mates in Hong Kong and insists he's firing on all cylinders. Asked if he'll be fit to face United on August 17, he nodded, smiled, and said: 'Yeah.' Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is ready to unleash his marquee summer signing as early as Thursday's friendly against Spurs in Hong Kong. 'He's only trained today (Wednesday), very little yesterday (Tuesday),' said Arteta. 'We'll assess tonight (Wednesday night). If the medical team are happy, there's a chance he features.' Asked why he favoured Arsenal over United and other suitors, Gyokeres was crystal clear: 'There were other clubs, of course, but this wasn't a hard choice. I chose Arsenal.' And boss Arteta is delighted. Speaking after watching him train in front of a packed Kai Tak stadium, in Hong Kong, Arteta was even more convinced he has the right man who can cope with taking on all-comers, including United. He said: 'When the news broke, and then you realise the magnitude of the club that you're going to be representing and how viral everything goes so fast in these days. "I think his immediate reaction was, wow, and then he sees, you know, the way we were received again, the training session that we just had with 20,000 people. I think you're going to have a very good first impression, that's for sure.' Club captain Martin Odegaard is already excited by what he's seen. He said: 'I think you've all seen what he's done in his career so far. Especially the last season at Sporting, the numbers speak for themselves. "He's a very complete player. He's physical, strong, fast, good finisher, and intelligent as well. You can also see the hunger, the energy he brings. He's only trained a few times, but you can already see the quality and the willingness.'
Daily Mirror
20-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Gyokeres to Arsenal takes new twist and Man City chief could play decisive role
Viktor Gyokeres is doing all he can to push through a move to Arsenal despite interest from Premier League rivals Manchester United but it appears that Manchester City could also have a big say A leaked voice note from Manchester City chief Hugo Viana could finally push through Viktor Gyokeres ' 'dream' move to Arsenal. The Sporting Lisbon star is right at the top of the Gunners' transfer shopping list. Mikel Arteta 's side have already lodged a bid worth €55m (£47m) plus a potential further €10m (£8.5m) but that was rejected by Sporting. And since then, there has practically been silence from North London, with Arsenal's pursuit being put on ice amid interest in alternative forward Benjamin Sesko. The same cannot be said of Gyokeres' camp and Sporting Lisbon, however. The striker reportedly threatened to go on strike to force through an exit after believing that Sporting had changed the terms of his departure, while he also turned down clear-the-air talks with his current employers. But it now appears that Gyokers' agent would be willing to leak private talks with ex-Sporting and current Man City chief Hugo Viana to facilitate an exit. According to Portuguese outlet Record, Gyokores' agent Hasan Çetinkaya has evidence that backs up his side of the story. He reportedly has a voice note from Viana agreeing to sell the striker for €60m plus €10m in add-ons (£51m plus £8.5m), following a meeting that was held on September 19 last year. Sporting president Federico Varandas has already given his take on the talks between Viana, Gyokeres and Cetinkaya. Speaking earlier this month, he said: "The agent spoke to us to add some clauses. Hugo Viana, as he always did, and very well, managed the relationship with the agents. This relational space is established with the sports director. "One of the agent's biggest concerns was whether we would demand the termination clause. Hugo Viana negotiated with the agents over several meetings until the agent demanded the presence of the president. "At this meeting, which included the president, the agent and Viana, Gyokeres was not present. He wanted to guarantee certain things. And what was agreed? That Sporting would not demand a release clause now. For one reason: he was going to be 27 years old and no player leaves Portugal at 27 for 100 or 90 million euros. Where do you think Gyokeres will go? Share your thoughts in the comments below "In that same meeting, the agent wanted to anchor the exit to a value. I said this sentence: 'It's not worth us setting a value because I don't know what will happen in a year's time. I don't know if it will be 40, 60 or 80. What I can guarantee is that I will not demand 100 million euros. From then on, I never spoke to the agent again, I never spoke to the player about departures or values. "Now I see the agent in the press releasing information. I want to make one thing clear: Sporting has common sense and keeps its word. Gyokeres scored 63 goals and 10 assists. Fantastic performance. Certainly one of the best players to have ever stepped onto Portuguese turf. And Sporting will not demand the clause. "Now blackmail and insults, Sporting will not accept. One thing is certain: Sporting will not accept 60 million plus 10. As of today, Sporting has not received any proposal for Gyokeres." Record's report further details that Gyokeres is willing to wait for what is his 'dream' move to Arsenal. He currently remains on holiday as the transfer saga continues. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Ruben Amorim breaks silence after axing Alejandro Garnacho on final day
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has been asked about the future of Alejandro Garnacho after leaving the winger out of his squad to face Aston Villa in the Premier League Ruben Amorim has claimed Alejandro Garnacho has not appeared for Manchester United for the final time - despite missing out on the Red Devils clash against Aston Villa on the final day of the season. It has been suggested that the winger is on his way out of the club after a furious outburst following the Europa League final. Mirror Football understands that Amorim has told Garnacho that he does not feature in his plans for next season and has told players he will be in the hotseat for the outset of 2025/26. The Argentina international has three years left on his contract at Old Trafford but was linked with moves to Chelsea and Napoli earlier this season, and could offer a profitable player to offload as United make every player available for sale. Garnacho has struggled to cement his place in Amorim's plans since the head coach's arrival and was dropped along with Marcus Rashford for the Manchester derby in December. The winger fought his way back into contention but could not earn a place in the starting lineup against Tottenham in Bilbao. The fallout from that decision appears to have seen Amorim make his mind up over Garnacho's future. Though, ahead of Aston Villa, the United boss kept his cards close to his chest. Asked if Garnacho had already made his final outing for the Red Devils, Amorim replied: "No, Garnacho is a Manchester United player who is not in the squad today. But he continues to be a Manchester United player." The United boss then confirmed that the 20-year-old will make the post-season trip to Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong. Amorim will lead his side in fixtures against ASEAN All-Stars and Hong Kong in the next seven days. "Yes," the ex-Sporting coach said. "Everybody is going because we have to meet our fans and we have to give something to our fans on the other side of the world." Speaking after United's defeat to Tottenham, Garnacho made no secret of his frustration with the club's season and also his lack of involvment in the Europa League final. The youngster appeared to suggest his future could lie away from the club. 'It's hard for everyone," he said. 'The season was s***, both now losing the final tonight, and in the league, where we didn't beat anyone, that's the truth. "Up until the final, I've played every round, and today to play 20 minutes… I don't know. I'm going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens after.' Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
