Viktor Gyokeres has already channeled his inner Mesut Ozil, Arsenal icon’s response speaks volumes

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Arsenal are working on a deal to set Viktor Gyokeres free from Sporting CP this summer. 

After two seasons in Lisbon, Gyokeres has made it clear that he’s desperate to leave Sporting.

There’s one club on the Sweden international’s mind, and that’s Arsenal, who feel similarly about the striker.

Mikel Arteta is working to sign Gyokeres in time for pre-season, with the Gunners’ action kicking off on July 23rd when the tour of Asia commences.

• READ MORE: Arsenal pre-season tour 2025: Destination, confirmed fixtures, tickets, how to watch and more

When Viktor Gyokeres channelled his inner Mesut Ozil

Like any player, there are pros and cons to signing Gyokeres, who is set to return to England after two seasons in Portugal. 

Before signing for Sporting, the Swede played in the Championship for Coventry City, where he also scored freely.

It’s fair to say that since joining Sporting, Gyokeres has turned his level up quite considerably, showing his worth not only in Portugal, but in the Champions League as well.

Last season, Gyokeres haunted Manchester City, scoring a hat-trick against Pep Guardiola’s side in the Champions League, where he turned many heads.

One figure who was charmed by the Arsenal target was Mesut Ozil, who commended the striker for imitating one of his trademark finishes. 

Ozil’s bounce finish was seen plenty of times during the attacking midfielder’s time in N5, something that Gyokeres showcased against Man City.

Reacting to the goal, Ozil sent a message to the Sporting star on X, saying, “Congrats Viktor Gyokeres. Nice chip shot!”

There was a lot to say about the Sweden international’s finish against Man City, but for Arsenal fans, Ozil’s feedback would’ve meant the most.

Ozil’s message speaks volumes

Everyone knows Gyokeres can score goals, but what else can the 27-year-old do?

Rio Ferdinand questioned Gyokeres’ suitability for the Premier League, pining to see more from the striker after Arsenal’s resounding win over Sporting in November.

What Ozil’s comment on the forward’s finishing ability represented was that people don’t just care about the frequency of Gyokeres’ scoring form, but also the different types of goals he’s able to convert.

As seen in the table above, Gyokeres gets himself into different scoring positions frequently, where, in most areas, he’s overperforming on the expected goals (xG) metric.

This essentially means that the striker is scoring more than he was expected to, which is music to Arsenal’s ears.

Ozil commended what Gyokeres has in his locker when it comes to the bounce finish, something the former Gunner would love to see replicated at the Emirates.