Former Arsenal and Sweden midfielder Stefan Schwarz has stated that while Viktor Gyokeres might not be considered a “stylish striker”, he is adapting well to life in the Premier League as a title-winning forward, and is expected to reach his “best” form during the 2026-27 season. The strong Swedish attacker impressed in his debut campaign at the Emirates Stadium, though Arsenal continue to be linked with high-profile forward signings.
After years of searching for a consistent No.9, Arsenal turned to Gyokeres during the summer of 2025. The striker, who had earlier stints in British football with Brighton, Swansea City, and Coventry City, had become one of the most sought-after forwards in Europe after scoring 97 goals in 102 appearances for Portuguese club Sporting.
The transfer deal structured by Mikel Arteta and his team could eventually exceed £66 million ($88m), a figure the Gunners are willing to pay if Gyokeres proves to be the final piece needed to secure more silverware.
Last season, Arsenal celebrated their first Premier League triumph in 22 years and also reached the UEFA Champions League final, where they were beaten by back-to-back winners Paris Saint-Germain. Gyokeres contributed significantly to the club’s domestic success, scoring 21 goals across all competitions, though some still question whether he can truly emulate Arsenal legends such as Ian Wright, Thierry Henry, and Robin van Persie.
Despite this success, Arsenal continue to explore attacking options, with reports suggesting that Barcelona and Arsenal are both interested in Atletico Madrid’s World Cup-winning former Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez.
Gyokeres might soon face increased competition for his place, but Schwarz remains confident that the 28-year-old can become the long-term answer to Arsenal’s search for a leading striker. The former Sweden international, who played for Arsenal in the mid-1990s, told GOAL – in association with Betinia – that Gyokeres has the qualities to thrive even with potential new arrivals like Alvarez.
“He’s a different type of player. You can compare him to [Brian] Brobbey at Sunderland – that kind of striker. He’s physically strong, loves to battle, enjoys feeling the opponent’s presence, and works hard to make life difficult for defenders,” Schwarz explained.
“He’s not what you’d call a classy attacker with the finest dribbling skills. But to have a successful season, you need a mix of different players. I think at the end of last season, over the final three months, Gyokeres really settled in. He started scoring regularly and became very productive.”
“He also didn’t have a proper pre-season last year. He joined late and had a slight injury early on, which affected his rhythm. This year, with a full pre-season behind him, I believe we’ll see the best version of him. You can always build around him with other player types to make the overall squad stronger.”
Following Sweden’s elimination in the last 32 of the 2026 World Cup at the hands of Kylian Mbappe’s France, Gyokeres now has the summer free to fully participate in Arsenal’s pre-season preparations. His focus will shift to the Community Shield clash against Manchester City on August 16, followed by the Premier League opener at home against newly promoted Coventry City, where he will face some familiar faces.
Meanwhile, Alvarez – currently on international duty at the 2026 World Cup alongside Lionel Messi – is reportedly eyeing a move to La Liga champions Barcelona, a development that could ultimately benefit Gyokeres by reducing competition for Arsenal’s starting striker position.
