Viktor Gyokeres arrived at Arsenal with huge expectations. The £63.5 million striker scored an incredible 54 goals in 52 games for Sporting CP last season. Fans believed he could finally be the missing piece to Arsenal’s attack.
But his Premier League debut at Old Trafford was not what many expected. Arsenal beat Manchester United 1-0 thanks to Riccardo Calafiori’s goal, yet Gyokeres struggled to make an impact. In fact, he did not register a single shot on target before being substituted after 60 minutes.
For many fans, this raised alarm bells. Could the Swedish forward really deliver in England’s toughest league? Some worried that he looked lost and slow. Others quickly jumped to judge him as not good enough.
But former Manchester United captain Rio Ferdinand has urged calm. Speaking after the game, Ferdinand explained that Gyokeres needs time to adapt and regain his fitness. He reminded supporters that one bad game does not define a striker.
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Ferdinand said: “I’ve seen some of the comments, people saying Gyokeres doesn’t look the part – early in the season, give him five or six games minimum, just to get up to speed.”
He also pointed out that Gyokeres missed much of pre-season. The striker went on strike at Sporting CP to force his Arsenal move, which meant he was not training properly with a full squad. This, according to Ferdinand, explains why he looks a little off the pace.
“Give him time to get up to speed fitness-wise, he’s got to get fit!” Ferdinand continued. “He probably hasn’t trained with a team since he got to Arsenal because he demanded to leave – bit like Isak now, he won’t be training with the team, he’ll be on his own [at Newcastle].”
Ferdinand even compared Gyokeres’ situation to Newcastle striker Alexander Isak. Like Gyokeres, Isak has faced periods of individual training due to transfer drama, and such situations always affect a player’s sharpness.
The former defender believes Arsenal’s squad depth can help. With Kai Havertz able to step in and support, Mikel Arteta has options if Gyokeres takes time to settle.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta also defended his new signing after the match. He praised parts of Gyokeres’ performance, even if the goals did not come.
Arteta said: “Well, he did a lot of things very good. You can tell, especially in our high-pressing rhythm that we demand that, especially in the first hour.”
The Spanish coach admitted that Gyokeres still needs to adjust to Arsenal’s tempo. “Again, he took too much time. It’s something that we have to work on him, especially there.”
Arteta also noted that Gyokeres did not get many clear chances because of the way Manchester United defended. Arsenal often failed to deliver the final ball behind the defense to make use of his pace and finishing ability.
Still, Arteta was positive overall. “Coming away to Manchester United, winning your first game with Arsenal, it’s a good start.”
For Arsenal fans, the message is clear: patience. Many world-class strikers, from Thierry Henry to Didier Drogba, struggled in their early Premier League games before becoming legends. Gyokeres could follow a similar path if given time.
The Premier League is faster and more physical than the Portuguese league. Strikers often take weeks or months to adapt. Even big names like Darwin Núñez and Kai Havertz needed time after their expensive transfers.
Gyokeres has already shown in Portugal that he can be deadly in front of goal. His strength, movement, and finishing ability are why Arsenal spent so much money on him.
If he finds rhythm and confidence, he could become the player to finally help Arsenal win the Premier League title after years of near misses. For now, though, patience is key.
Arsenal fans will be watching closely in the coming weeks. Will Gyokeres explode into life and prove the doubters wrong? Or will the pressure continue to build? Only time will tell.
But one thing is certain: Rio Ferdinand is right. One game is never enough to judge a striker. Arsenal’s £63.5 million man deserves the chance to show why he was one of Europe’s most feared forwards last season.
