Viktor Gyökeres rediscovers goals, but doubts remain at Arsenal | OneFootball

Viktor Gyökeres heads to a reunion with Sporting CP on Tuesday at 21:00, back among the goals yet still facing questions over his fit at Arsenal.

His March for Sweden brought a hat-trick against Ukraine, 3-1 on 26 March, then a decisive strike against Poland, 3-2 on 31 March, in World Cup play-offs. In early March, Mikel Arteta said scoring had sparked a virtuous cycle and that both sides needed to understand each other, adding Arsenal were on the right path.

Signed from Sporting last summer for €63m plus €10m in bonuses, he left amid conflict with supporters and board after 97 goals in 102 games. José Alvalade is unlikely to be welcoming.

The adaptation has been uneven. His style has jarred with Arsenal’s positional game, with only three Premier League goals in the first half of the season excluding penalties, as he struggled in duels, was naive in his runs, created little and shot too rarely.

The curve has turned in 2026, with 10 goals and two assists in all competitions, including against Inter, 3-1 with a goal, Tottenham, 4-1 with a brace, and Chelsea, 2-1. Questions over his impact in big games had favoured Kai Havertz, and the hierarchy have looked at strikers for the summer, notably Lautaro Martinez (Inter), Julian Alvarez (Atlético de Madrid) and especially Santiago Castro (Bologna). Gyökeres has already offered his reply on the pitch.

Source: L'Équipe