“Fantastic footballer” National teammate defends struggling Arsenal man

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·23 September 2026

“Fantastic footballer” National teammate defends struggling Arsenal man

Viktor Gyokeres is experiencing a difficult start to the season, with the Arsenal striker being benched for Kai Havertz despite making important contributions to the club’s success last term.

The Sweden international endured an inconsistent first season at the Emirates, but there is little doubt that he played an important role in Arsenal’s campaign. His contributions helped the team achieve success, and he will now be hoping to produce more consistently during his second season.

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Most players can improve during their second season, and Gyokeres will back himself to do so after enjoying a full pre-season with the team. That was different from his first term, when much of his summer was spent waiting for a deal to be completed.

Gyokeres remains part of the latest Sweden squad and will be keen to get minutes and demonstrate his goalscoring ability before the international break ends. However, Arsenal currently appear to believe Havertz is the better option up front, and unless the German suffers an injury, it could be difficult for Gyokeres to earn regular minutes at club level.

Gyokeres receives backing from Sweden teammate

The Swede will be keen to take advantage of the international break by playing as many minutes as possible. He will also hope to regain confidence and show why Arsenal invested in him.

Viktor Johansson, however, believes his national teammate remains a fantastic player despite the attention surrounding his situation at Arsenal. The goalkeeper is aware of the reports concerning Gyokeres and his limited opportunities, but he remains convinced of the striker’s quality.

Speaking via Sport Witness, Johansson praised Gyokeres both as a footballer and as a person, while admitting that he does not pay much attention to reports about his teammate.

“It’s never fun to read. Then again, I’m not the best at reading what’s been written. But I think he’s a fantastic footballer and person. That’s what I take away from it.”

(Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty Images)

International break offers Gyokeres opportunity

The international break could therefore give Gyokeres an opportunity to regain his rhythm and confidence. Regular playing time for Sweden would allow him to demonstrate his qualities and potentially return to Arsenal ready to compete for more minutes.

For now, Havertz appears to be ahead of him in the competition for a starting role, but Gyokeres will have opportunities to change that situation if he can produce strong performances when selected.

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