Mikel Arteta says Arsenal now have a ‘unique’ player who is better than anyone else in Europe at one thing

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Arsenal have had a busy summer in the transfer market, with Andrea Berta acquiring six players to bolster Mikel Arteta’s ranks.

The Gunners have responded to a third consecutive second-place finish by spending almost £200 million on several key areas that needed addressing.

Viktor Gyokeres has arrived from Sporting CP in a marquee move, while Martin Zubimendi has signed from Real Sociedad for £55 million.

Berta has also added several players who will provide Mikel Arteta with additional depth, including Noni Madueke, giving the Spaniard a robust squad that should be ready to challenge for the Premier League title.

• READ MORE: Confirmed Arsenal summer 2025 transfer ins and outs, signings and done deals

Mikel Arteta says Viktor Gyokeres is ‘unique’

Arsenal fans were so excited by the signing of Gyokeres that the player broke the record for shirt sales at the club for a new signing in the 24 hours after the deal was announced.

This excitement speaks to the expectation that the Swede will change the Gunners’ fortunes up front, based on his prolific goal-scoring history.

Gyokeres has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or as a result of a spectacular season at Sporting last term, in which he found the back of the net 54 times in 52 games across all competitions.

His tally in Portugal came to 97 in 102 matches across two seasons, and Arteta referenced this ability to convert chances in a recent interview.

“Well, he’s going to bring a different level of threat,” Arteta told Men in Blazers.

“I’ve never been stopping to have a nine like this at all. Never.

“The thing is that we have adapted to the players and trying to get the best out of the players that we have. And now we have somebody with a unique ability to put the ball in the back of the net. He’s done it more often than anybody else, almost in Europe.

“And that’s a big quality to have in the team.”

Viktor Gyokeres will be more than just a goalscorer for Arsenal

While Gyokeres scored at a ridiculous rate in the Primeira Liga, he’s not merely a poacher who stands in the box and waits for the ball to come to him.

The 27-year-old is highly involved in build-up play, regularly peeling out to wide areas to combine with his teammates.

He’s also an excellent ball carrier and dribbler in the channels, often making runs into these areas to jink in and out of defenders before cutting the ball back to on-rushing teammates.

Favouring the left-hand channel, Gyokeres may well unlock this side of Arsenal’s attack, with the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard bound to benefit from his presence in the team.

The perception of the player is that he’s simply a ‘fox in the box’, but he’ll quickly prove that this isn’t the case.