82 Premier League goals: Arsenal nearly signed a more effective striker than Gyokeres for a lower price
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and striker Viktor Gyokeres (Photo by Justin Setterfield, Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Arsenal is likely starting to feel regret over their choice to bring Viktor Gyokeres on board this summer, considering his evident difficulty transitioning to the Premier League. Gyokeres had an outstanding goal-scoring record at former club Sporting Lisbon, netting an impressive 97 goals in 102 matches over two seasons. This led Arsenal to invest £64m to acquire the Sweden international from Sporting last summer (fee reported via BBC Sport), anticipating that this acquisition would provide Mikel Arteta with a more natural finisher compared to forwards like Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus. However, after Gyokeres’s underwhelming performance in what is clearly a significantly more competitive league, Arsenal may now be left to ponder the merits of this decision.
Gyokeres’s need for rapid improvement is evident; while it was unlikely he would achieve the same goal tally for Arsenal as he did at Sporting, his current statistics are far below the expectations set by the club. Below are some vital stats that compare the 27-year-old’s performance with Arsenal this season against his contributions at Sporting last term…
| Player | Games | Goals | Goals per game |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sporting 24/25 | 52 | 54 | 1.03 |
| Arsenal 25/26 | 24 | 7 | 0.29 |
Investing a significant sum on a player inexperienced in the Premier League was always likely to be a risk, raising the question of whether Arsenal should have pursued a safer option who had proven success at this tier. Notably, just a few months prior, they nearly secured a deal for Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa. The England international has scored 82 goals in 205 Premier League matches for Villa, and according to BBC Sport, the Gunners attempted to sign him for £60m last January. Although the fee difference isn’t vast, it still represents a slightly lower cost for a player who is likely a more reliable choice to bolster AFC’s attacking threat.
Could Ollie Watkins have been a valuable addition for Arsenal? Ollie Watkins celebrates scoring for Aston Villa against Bournemouth (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) While he has been crucial for an impressive Villa squad, it should be pointed out that his form has recently slipped a bit this season. The 30-year-old has scored seven goals in 28 matches across all competitions this season, casting doubt on whether he will reach the 17 he netted last year, and it’s almost certain he won’t match the 27 he achieved the year before. Nonetheless, when examining other important metrics, as showcased in the graph below, Watkins appears to provide a better all-around game compared to Gyokeres…
Viktor Gyokeres vs Ollie Watkins stats graphic (DataMB) In football, there are no assurances, as Gyokeres joins other high-profile signings like Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz in experiencing disappointment this season; however, Watkins seems to have been a worthwhile option for Arsenal to consider. The Villa striker may furnish a similar goal-scoring threat, but he presents a greater challenge for defenders due to the number of touches he maintains and the opportunities he generates for his teammates. Ultimately, Arsenal opted not to pursue this deal and instead chose Gyokeres, but how much might this decision come back to haunt them?
Published: 2026-01-10 14:45:00
source: www.caughtoffside.com
