Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres is set for a period on the sidelines after picking up a suspected hamstring injury, with a reliable club insider sharing the true extent of his problem and expected return date.
Gyokeres was just beginning to catch fire with three strikes in his last three appearances, following a barren run of seven consecutive games without a goal before he ended the drought against Atlético Madrid.
Viktor Gyokeres’ best games for Arsenal in the Premier League
Match Rating
Arsenal 5-0 Leeds United
8.84
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
7.97
Burnley 0-2 Arsenal
7.68
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
6.69
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
6.68
via WhoScored
The 27-year-old, signed for an initial £55 million which could rise to £64 million if add-ons are met, was brought in by sporting director Andrea Berta as the club’s statement signing of the summer.
After a sensational haul of 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting CP, marking him out as one of Europe’s most lethal marksmen, Mikel Arteta was understandably excited by Gyokeres’ arrival at N5.
While Gyokeres hasn’t exactly ‘free scored’, the Sweden international has added something entirely unique to their forward line with pace, power and intelligent runs to drag opposition defenders away and free up space for Arsenal’s attackers.
“All of us [appreciate Gyokeres] because he makes us a much better team. I think we’ve become much more unpredictable,” Arteta said after Gyokeres’ brace against Atlético.
“He’s so physical, opens the spaces for everyone. The way he presses the ball, holds the ball, it’s just phenomenal. And then the icing on the cake and the biggest thing that we’re going to debate about him is goals.
“He’s scored two very different ones today, and hopefully he starts to get some momentum and a good run of goals.”
Gyokeres has also averaged more shots at goal per 90 than anyone else in the Arsenal squad so far this season, but they’ll now be missing his threat for a while.
Arteta admitted he was “concerned” by Gyokeres’ injury after hauling him off at half-time against Burnley last weekend, right after he opened the scoring at Turf Moor, and supporters are anxious to discover the results of his scans this week.
The early prognosis is that Arsenal expect Gyokeres to return for their North London derby against Tottenham right after the next international break, with the Scandinavian omitted from Sweden’s squad for the international break.
Insider reveals true extent of Viktor Gyokeres injury at Arsenal
Now, according to reliable insider Hand of Arsenal via X, this still looks like the most likely outcome so far.
It is believed that Gyokeres’ injury is on the “minor” end of the spectrum, and while more tests are still to be conducted, the club are “relaxed” about his situation.
This comes as a major boost for Arteta, who is already without the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke.
Arsenal have done amazingly to navigate this plethora of injuries to attacking players, with makeshift number nine Mikel Merino showcasing his ability in the role once again at Slavia Prague on Tuesday.
Speaking before their win away to Burnley last weekend, Arteta said that Odegaard, Havertz and Madueke are all closing in on returns and could play against Tottenham as well.
The north Londoners could have a near-full attacking complement for one of their most important games of the season, with Havertz blowing away Arsenal staff after his faster than anticipated rehab.
The same can be said of Madueke, who has apparently been racing to get back fit.
