From "flat-track bully" to title talisman—Viktor Gyokeres is silencing his critics in the best way possible. When the Swedish striker arrived at Arsenal from Sporting CP last summer, the pressure was immediate. Billed as the missing piece of the puzzle, every touch was scrutinized, every miss magnified. After just an hour of Premier League football, the taunts began: "Clunky." "Cumbersome."
Two goals against Leeds United quieted some doubters, but new labels emerged. "Flat-track bully." "Penalty dependent." Gyokeres heard it all, but he kept his head down and his boots laced.
Now, as Arsenal surge toward Champions League glory and Premier League dominance, Gyokeres is proving he's more than just a scorer—he's a game-changer. In Tuesday's Champions League semifinal second leg at the Emirates, he didn't find the net, but his all-around performance screamed "£64 million striker." Just days earlier, he had calmly slotted a penalty amid the whistles of the Metropolitano, keeping Arsenal level with Atletico Madrid.
In between those European heroics, Gyokeres delivered a masterclass against Fulham. First, he met Bukayo Saka's pinpoint cross with a tap-in. Then, he planted a magnificent header past Bernd Leno. Two goals, full momentum restored. And when Manchester City slipped at Everton, the title race landed squarely in Arsenal's hands.
Former Arsenal star Paul Merson couldn't hide his praise. "The best I have seen him play. He reminded me of Haaland," Merson said on Sky Sports. "I thought the players trusted him a lot more. I have given him a lot of stick. If they win the league, he has been a brilliant buy. If they don't, maybe he hasn't. He was put in the team to make sure they beat the lesser teams, and he has done. You want your striker to get 20 goals, and he has done that."
Merson added: "He was really good today, and that is what they bought him for. Those performances haven't been there week in and week out, but if they are for the run-in, he will be the difference."
From doubt to destiny—Gyokeres is writing his own story, and Arsenal fans are loving every chapter.