Before signing with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, this goal machine turned down offers from several other clubs.
Viktor Gyökeres had a number of options on the table, but ultimately chose Arsenal. And according to the Swedish striker, the decision to join the Emirates club wasn’t a difficult one.
After weeks of negotiation, Arsenal officially announced Gyökeres’ signing last Saturday. The club beat out tough competition to secure the striker from Sporting CP on a five-year deal. According to ESPN, both Manchester United and Juventus were strongly interested in the 27-year-old.
Having previously played for three other English clubs, Gyökeres said on Wednesday that choosing Arsenal didn’t take much thought.
“I think you can always make decisions about your future. Of course, there were other clubs, but this time it didn’t feel like a hard decision for me.”
“I don’t think returning to England was always on my mind. But when I was in Portugal, it definitely became a thought — because this is the best league in the world. So of course, playing in the Premier League was always a goal. When it felt like the right time, I didn’t hesitate to come back.”
Gyökeres was instrumental in Sporting’s double-winning season, helping the club claim both the Portuguese league and cup titles. Across all competitions last season, he scored an astonishing 54 goals in 52 matches — the highest tally among Europe’s top leagues. He grabbed headlines with a memorable hat-trick against Manchester City in the Champions League.
In the Portuguese league alone, he netted 39 times last season. In total, Gyökeres scored 66 goals in just 68 league appearances for Sporting.
Over two seasons with the Portuguese side, he played 102 matches, scoring 97 goals and providing 28 assists — a truly remarkable record.
Now, a new challenge awaits him in England. Arsenal, who have finished as Premier League runners-up for the past three seasons, are thrilled to have him on board.
