“I do not assume he is the man,” former England defender Rio Ferdinand stated of Viktor Gyokeres on his Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, when the striker was linked with Manchester United.
“I’ve watched him in all probability 3 times actually, actually intently. And 3 times I’ve gone: ‘He ain’t getting that chance within the Prem’. Is there sufficient – after he is bodily matched – to get him a objective?”
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Take a look on the checklist of main goalscorers in Europe’s high leagues in 2024-25 and the same old suspects are there.
Gyokeres, who’s 6ft 2in, managed 39, although the Primeira Liga isn’t thought of one of many high 5 leagues in Europe.
The query is whether or not Gyokeres he could be prolific in a stronger league. He has simply turned 27 and is but to play in Europe’s high 5 divisions – therefore Ferdinand’s feedback.
It’s maybe value noting 35% of his objectives in 2024-25 got here from penalties, as he efficiently transformed all 19 of his spot-kicks.
There’s little denying that Gyokeres is a goalscorer, however will he be so successful in opposition to elite-level defences?
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“Clearly with Arsenal’s entrance gamers there’s going to be competitors,” Bjorn Hamberg, Gyokeres’ former assistant coach at Brighton and fellow Swede, instructed BBC Sport.
“I feel he is dedicated to let go once more and clearly he understands that Arsenal might be one other step up within the ladder.
“On the identical time, in his previous couple of seasons, particularly within the Champions League, you’ll be able to see he’s in all probability extra ready than ever to take that problem on.
“He improves yearly and usually stays match. He is simply a type of gamers who is nice across the field, an excellent finisher, however he is additionally fairly robust in transition and in massive areas.
“So he is fairly versatile in that sense and I feel that is a very massive factor within the Premier League.”