The goal machine that is Viktor Gyokeres speaks of his excitement in his first sit-down interview after signing for Arsenal.
He joined the Gunners from Sporting Lisbon, where he scored 97 goals over two seasons, helping them win two league titles and a domestic cup.
Despite playing in England for Brighton, Swansea, and Coventry, he has yet to feature in the Premier League.
Excited to score for Arsenal, Gyokeres believes the club’s high-caliber players and manager Mikel Arteta will help elevate his game.
ARSENAL STATEMENT:
We are delighted to announce that Sweden international Viktor Gyokeres has signed for us on a long-term contract.
The 27-year-old striker arrives from Sporting Lisbon, where he scored an incredible 97 goals in 102 appearances.
During his two seasons with Sporting, Viktor helped the team win back-to-back Primeira Liga titles, a national cup, and was the league’s top scorer in both campaigns. He has also excelled at international level, scoring 12 goals in his last 17 appearances for Sweden.
Born in Stockholm, Viktor started his career with IF Brommapojkarna, where he developed through their youth academy, scoring 32 goals in 31 appearances at under-19 and under-21 levels, and making his senior debut as a 17-year-old.
In January 2018, the clinical goalscorer joined Brighton & Hove Albion, during which time he enjoyed loan spells at Swansea City, St. Pauli and Coventry City, moving to the Sky Blues permanently in 2021 and helping them to the Championship Play Off final in 2023.
Sporting Director Andrea Berta said: “We are so pleased with the excellent deal we have completed to bring Viktor Gyökeres to the club. Viktor is an exceptional talent and has consistently demonstrated he has the qualities and winning mentality required of a top-level centre-forward. His physicality, intelligence and work ethic make him a perfect fit for our vision.
“We are confident Viktor will have a major impact on the pitch and become an important figure in our dressing room. Welcome, Viktor!”
Manager Mikel Arteta added: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Viktor Gyökeres to the club. The consistency he has shown in his performances and availability have been outstanding, and his goal contributions speak for themselves.
“Viktor has so many qualities. He is a quick and powerful presence up front, with incredible goalscoring numbers at club and international levels. He brings a clinical edge with a high conversion rate of chances into goals, with his intelligent movement in the box making him a constant threat.
“We’re excited about what Viktor brings to our squad and are looking forward to start working with him. We welcome Viktor and his family to Arsenal.”
Viktor will wear the number 14 shirt and will immediately join up with the squad on our men’s pre-season tour in Asia.
Everyone at Arsenal welcomes Viktor to the club.
👊 Proudest moment so far
🎯 Goal-scoring technique
💭 Arsenal ambitionsQuickfire Questions: Viktor Gyökeres edition 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/SdorAhSDho
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 27, 2025
GYOKERES INTERVIEW:
Interviewer: Viktor, welcome to Arsenal. What does it mean for you to sign for the club?
Gyokeres: It’s a very big day for me, and, yeah, everyone around me. Yeah. I’m really excited to get going and, yeah, to meet everyone in the club and, yeah, just to start playing football for this, amazing club.
Interviewer: You’ve attracted plenty of interest this summer from right across Europe. We’re delighted that you’re here with us. What made you choose Arsenal?
Gyokeres: I just felt that, yeah, it was the right club, for me. What I could hear from Mikel and, Andrea, when I’ve been speaking with them and just what I’ve seen, the past years, how they’ve been playing football and, yeah, as well when I was playing against, Arsenal last season. I could really feel it. It was a very strong team, and very difficult to play against. So, yeah, they made me choose Arsenal, and, of course, all the history the club has and the, yeah, the massive fan base.
Interviewer: You mentioned your conversations with Andrea and Mikel. What did they chat to you about that sold the club to you?
Gyokeres: It was more about, yeah, things around me and what they were thinking. But, yeah, I know the club. I’ve watched it before. So, yeah, I didn’t didn’t have to sell it in for me. I was already excited about it before, but, yeah, to come here and, was a really big thing for me anyway, to be honest.
Interviewer: Over the past couple of seasons, you’ve shown the attributes of a complete centre forward, a phenomenal record. I think you scored 97 goals in a 102 games. You must be excited to come in here and score lots of goals for us.
Gyokeres: Of course. I always want to score. So yeah. To be a part of this club and, yeah, to score with this kit and in front of all the supporters. Yeah. I can’t wait, and, yeah, it will be an amazing feeling.
Interviewer: You’re no stranger to English football as well, of course, having played for Brighton, Swansea, Coventry. But now you must be really looking forward to having a chance in the Premier League.
Gyokeres: I started here, and it feels like a long time ago. And, yeah, I think I’ve improved a lot since then. And, yeah, now I want to prove myself for real and perform together with the team.
Interviewer: It seems like Coventry was a key time in your career. The goal started to flow then. You’ve not really stopped scoring since. What changed in your game at Coventry?
Gyokeres: I think I just started to, first of all, play more regularly. I went there permanently. And then, yeah, I took my chance from the beginning, I think, when I signed there permanently. And then, yeah, I just felt that I kept going, and I find my rhythm. And then, yeah, I haven’t been thinking so much about, that since. And I just, kept going on that path. And, yeah, that’s what I’m gonna do forward as well.
Interviewer: You’ve played with Ben White and Leandro Trossard at at Brighton. What are your memories of playing with them, and are you looking forward to linking up with them again?
Gyokeres: I didn’t play so much with them. I played a bit, more with Ben. But, yeah, it was a fun time, even though it was different and probably gonna be a bit different now. But, yeah, it’s gonna be exciting to see them again and to to to see all the other teammates as well.
Interviewer: Do you have memories of watching Arsenal growing up in Sweden?
Gyokeres: We’ve got big links with Sweden. I was quite young when, Ljungberg played here. Of course, they were great players and, yeah, did well here.
Interviewer: We’re forming quite the Scandinavian group at the club here as well, of the likes of Martin Odegaard and Christian Norgaard and and now yourself. You must be looking forward to meeting all of those as well as your new teammates.
Gyokeres: It’s always nice with some Scandinavian guys in the team, and, yeah, we probably can speak some, Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish together. So it’s gonna be nice.
Interviewer: You’ve got a very impressive scoring record at international level for Sweden. How do you think that sets you up for playing for us in the Premier League and also the Champions League?
Gyokeres: I think it’s always good to to score, for your country, of course. It’s a big honour to play for your country, and then, of course, to score goals for them is amazing. When I played in Sporting as well, I scored a few goals in the Champions League as well, so I can, I feel that I can be on that level as well? Now to come here, to a club on Arsenal’s level, I think, just gonna help me perform even better with all the amazing players in this team. So, yeah, I’m really excited to to get going.
Interviewer: You played against us for sport in the Champions League last season. What did you learn about our side then?
Gyokeres: That you were very solid defensively. It was hard to create chances. Very good on set pieces as well. And then you were very effective in front of goal as he scored five goals. So yeah. I think that the team was very good both going forward and defensive as well. So, yeah, it was was a tough game.
Interviewer: You’ll be facing the likes of Gabriel and William Saliba and the rest of our defence again, this time in training. That must be a battle you’re relishing.
Gyokeres: Yeah. It’s gonna be fun. I think it’s gonna be some good training sessions, hopefully. And, yeah, of course, it’s a great way to to improve.
Interviewer: Tell us a little bit about your goal celebration. It’s become quite iconic. What’s the story behind it?
Gyokeres: No. The story behind it is that, before I got it, my friends were always saying to me to find my own celebration because they were very tired of me all doing all kind of stuff when I was celebrating. So I had some time off and we went on vacation together, me and my friends. During that time, we just came up with it after a while. And, yeah, we thought it looked looked good. And, I started doing it straight away, and, yeah, we felt even better on the pitch.
Interviewer: What excites you most about joining the club?
Gyokeres: To play for Arsenal, to play at the Emirates, in front of all the fans, and, of course, together with the team and to to win games and titles.
Interviewer: And finally, do you have a message for all our supporters around the world?
Gyokeres: It’s been amazing to see all the the support that they already gave me before I even arrived. And, yeah, that’s what it’s all about. And, yeah, it’s gonna be very nice to to see them in the stadiums as well.
