Viktor Gyokeres was one of Arsenal’s biggest signings in the summer transfer window.
The Gunners had needed a new striker for years. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was their last prolific centre-forward, and the lack of a replacement cost them season after season.
Arsenal finished second three years in a row in the Premier League. Many fans will tell you that they would have won at least one title if they had an elite centre-forward.
Now, Gyokeres has arrived and has started fairly well, but there was a lot of uncertainty before his move was finalised.
Viktor Gyokeres opens up on ‘weird moment’ before he joined Arsenal from Sporting CP
The Viktor Gyokeres to Arsenal transfer saga was a long one.
It was clear that the Swede was going to leave Sporting CP after two incredible seasons, and his camp believed that there was a gentleman’s agreement to let him go.
However, after Hugo Viana’s departure from Sporting, the Portuguese giants allegedly went back on their word and complicated the deal.
Gyokeres was clear that he wanted to join Arsenal from the start, but his old club’s president made negotiations incredibly difficult.
While Andrea Berta and the Sporting hierarchy fought for every last penny, Gyokeres has revealed that he was stuck in a ‘weird moment’ because all he could do during the saga was sit around and wait for something to happen.
He said on Sky Sports: “Yeah, it was quite stressful when it was like that.
“When you don’t know what’s going to happen, when you live in that uncertainty where you literally just hang around and wait for something to happen…
“It was a weird moment where I was just waiting, and it felt like it took forever. But when it all finished, it was such a great feeling.”
Viktor Gyokeres deserves all the love from Arsenal fans for one reason
Arsenal fans were infuriated when the Gyokeres deal took so long to complete. One can only wonder how the Swede must have felt during that time.
However, despite all the problems during negotiations, Gyokeres was consistent – he only wanted Arsenal and nobody else.
The striker turned his back on offers from Saudi Arabia, while even Ruben Amorim’s attempt to sign him was knocked back by the player himself.
Gyokeres even agreed to reduce his wages to join Arsenal, which shows just how desperate he was to wear the famous red and white.
That is why every Arsenal fan should give him all the love and support he needs – not just while he’s scoring but when he’s going through a rough patch as well.
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