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Topics: Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal, Premier League, Football, Transfers, EFL Championship
Ryan Smart
Topics: Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal, Premier League, Football, Transfers, EFL Championship
Viktor Gyokeres has already received a brutal nickname as he prepares to make his Arsenal debut later this week.
Gyokeres signed for Arsenal from Sporting Lisbon for a fee of €63.5 million, plus a potential €10m in add-ons, on Saturday.
The move ends a protracted transfer saga which saw the Sweden international go on strike, with the Portuguese club's president even accusing the striker's representatives of blackmail over a disputed 'gentleman's agreement'.
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The 27-year-old has signed a five-year contract, with attention finally turning to his footballing abilities rather than hourly updates over his whereabouts.
Gyokeres could make his Arsenal debut when the Gunners take on Tottenham in a pre-season match on Thursday.
The Swede has spent much of his professional career in English football, having signed for Brighton in 2017.
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But he failed to make a league appearance for the Seagulls and, at the point of his arrival at Coventry in January 2020 aged 22, had only scored one senior goal - in an EFL Cup match - outside of Sweden.
It is fair to say, therefore, that Gyokeres has been something of a late developer, having earned his move to Sporting by smashing in 38 Championship goals in his two full seasons at Coventry.
While Gyokeres was with the Sky Blues, Mark Robins' side came within one game of promotion to the Premier League, as they lost 2-1 to Luton in the 2023 play-off final.
He was, therefore, a popular figure around the club, and there was significant disappointment when Coventry sanctioned a club-record £20 million sale to Sporting that summer.
He even earned a nickname at the CBS Arena - which he surely hopes does not follow him to Arsenal for too long.
Speaking to The Athletic, Coventry midfielder Ben Sheaf explained: "He's a serious guy until you get to know him and he opens up.
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"He's a good lad but he'd be arguing in training, always wanting to win, and doing finishing drills after - absolutely t**ting balls in.
"Ben Wilson, our 'keeper, used to call him 'You big Swedish meatball-head', in his Geordie accent.
"But he was one of the lads that was closest to him at the time, and they used to take the p**s out of each other."
Perhaps Wilson's friendship with Gyokeres gave him some advice in an attacking sense, as he scored a goal for Coventry during the 2022/23 season.
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In second-half added time against Blackburn, Wilson went up for a corner and diverted the ball over the line - amid strong claims of handball - to equalise the match at 1-1.