The start of Viktor Gyökeres’ 2026-2027 season is already a source of questions at Arsenal. Recruited in the summer of 2025 for around 70 million euros including bonuses, the Swede had a rather decent first season in London on a statistical level, with 21 goals and 3 assists in all competitions. Figures far from being negligible, but which remain much lower than those recorded during his last season at Sporting, where he scored 54 goals and provided 12 assists. A year after his arrival, however, he found himself in a particularly delicate situation.
Because since the restart, Mikel Arteta has given him an almost non-existent role. Gyökeres has still not played a single minute in the Premier League and has only played one game since the start of the season. His only appearance dates back to the Community Shield against Manchester City, won with authority by Arsenal (3-0), with Kai Havertz starting at the forefront and scoring, before the entry of Gyökeres in the 75th minute. Since then, the Swede has not played a single minute of the championship against Coventry or Aston Villa, remaining entirely on the bench…
A truly worrying situation
This sidelining is all the more surprising as Arsenal’s sporting situation absolutely does not push Arteta to change his choices. The Gunners have still not lost this season and have already won their first trophy with their success against Manchester City in the Community Shield. Havertz, precisely, is at the center of this success in the offensive sector: already two goals in three matches played, the German having started in the last two Premier League matches. At the same time, Gyökeres watches the matches from the bench, a sign that Arteta does not currently feel any need to upset a formula that works quite well.
The transfer window also sheds particularly interesting light on this situation. Despite the presence of Gyökeres in their squad, Arsenal actively sought to recruit a new center forward during the summer. The Gunners have notably explored the trail leading to Julián Álvarez, while contacts have also been made around Lautaro Martínez as reported Daily Mail. These attempts were unsuccessful, but they show that Arteta wanted another offensive solution after the departure of Gabriel Jesus. The very fact that Arsenal continued to look for a number 9 after investing 70 million euros on Gyökeres last summer necessarily constitutes a signal to be taken into account for the 28-year-old.
A formidable center forward, with a profile incompatible with Mikel Arteta?
The question is also that of compatibility with the requirements of the Spanish technician. Gyökeres remains above all a powerful striker, capable of attacking spaces and weighing in the box, while Arteta seems to be looking for more participation in the game and ability to break through. The use of Mikel Merino in a false number 9 role goes in this direction. Friday, when asked about the level of his offensive sector, Arteta declared: “I love my players, that’s all I can say. In the ranking, how do you want to place them? I don’t know. » Before adding: “I think at the end of the season we will put everyone in their place and we will trust them. Let’s make sure we’re fully behind them and we’ll do everything we can to help the incredible talent they possess. »
However, it would be far too early to condemn Gyökeres, who has already demonstrated in the past his ability to return to the hierarchy after being put in difficulty. But the parallel with Gonçalo Ramos at PSG last season is necessarily tempting: an attacker capable of being decisive, but whose profile less meets the expectations of his coach, can quickly lose ground despite honorable statistics. At Arsenal, the investment made in Gyökeres obviously makes a separation unlikely, but the start of this second season in London is clearly to his disadvantage. And the shock against Chelsea this Sunday could already constitute a first real turning point for the former Sporting player.
