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Viktor Gyokeres had not played in the Premier League before joining Arsenal. He was at Brighton & Hove Albion, but only got on the field in cup games. The striker is still experienced in England, with his spells in the Championship with Coventry City and Swansea City.
Sporting Clube de Portugal was where Gyokeres really made a name for himself. He was particularly impressive for the Portuguese side last season, where he scored 54 goals in 52 games in all competitions.
A new striker was seen as the missing piece between the Gunners being runners-up and title winners in the Premier League. Gyokeres' form for Sporting meant that Mikel Arteta's side paid £63.5 million to take him back to English soccer.
The Premier League is still a big step up from the Primeira Liga, and Gyokeres is yet to make his mark in an Arsenal shirt. His record is still not bad, with six goals in 15 games in all competitions. However, the Sweden international is being criticized for not showing up on the big occasions.
What is Theo Walcott's verdict on Viktor Gyokeres?
Theo Walcott spent 12 years at Arsenal, where he made nearly 400 appearances. Therefore, he knows a thing or two about being a forward at the club.
Speaking as a pundit on Sky Sports, Walcott said, "I think Mikel Merino is more trusted in the big games, he’s a player that you know what you’re going to get. I think Gyökeres will be more of an impact player in the big games; he’ll learn a lot from what Merino does."
Merino is a midfielder by trade, but has been a great makeshift center-forward for the Gunners. It was he who got the equalizer against Chelsea at the weekend. To be fair to Gyokeres, he may have got the winner had Jurrien Timber left a cross destined for the Swedish striker's head.
Surprisingly, Walcott predicts that Merino will be favored in the bigger games. However, the stats do back up this point. Gyokeres has only scored Premier League goals this season against Leeds United, Burnley, and Nottingham Forest, who are fighting to stay in the division.
Gyokeres had just come back from a muscle injury, which is why he started on the bench against Chelsea. However, Merino has filled in at center-forward very well again recently. He has had goal involvements in his last three Premier League games.