Arsenal completed the signing of Viktor Gyokeres to end a long-term transfersaga, but a new Premier League manager has revealed that his party also held conversations about a movement for the rush hour
Fulham boss Marco Silva has rejected the idea that the new Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres was previously overlooked by Premier League clubs. The Portuguese coach has revealed that his side with Gyoke's agent spoke about a move to Craven Cottage a year before the Swedish striker came to Sporting CP.
Arsenal sealed a £ 63.7 million deal to sign Gyokeres to work out in Lisbon after his productive two years. The 27-year-old scored 97 goals in 102 games and Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, who described his new striker as excellent, will hope that Gyokeres can help put an end to the long-term waiting of the club for a Premier League title.
Gyokeres' trip has not been easy. He was borrowed several times by Brighton before he flourished in Coventry City. Fulham manager Silva, however, urged that various Premier League clubs were aware of the star quality of Gyokees in the championship before he became one of the most sought after strikers in Europe.
“That story that nobody had noticed Gyokeres is nonsense. The top clubs in England had not noticed him, that is clear,” Silva told Canal 11, as reported by Portuguese Outlet a Bola. “It is not easy for a player to go from Coventry to a top club in England, and at that moment he was not ready for that movement.
“Now, as for clubs in the middle of England, they had all noticed him. There were some offers to buy Gyokeres, at least during those two years when he stood out a bit more.
“I actually spoke with the agent of Gyokees, or rather the club spoke with his agent, but at that time we also had a world -class striker in [Aleksandar] Mitrovic and he was not that easy to replace. But of course we noticed him, not only because of the goals he scored, but it was clear that he with the space … He was a player with enormous strength, there is no doubt about it. “
Fulham stood opposite Gyokeres during their promotion-winning 2021/22 season. Coventry was the only side that defeated the Silva team twice, where the striker scored three goals about the two games and left a lasting impression on Silva.
“A player who already had a good finish, who, in my opinion, has been greatly improved since then,” Silva continued. “Now he is a player who is considering how Coventry played at that time with space and against teams that pushed higher up and left space behind, between center-back and full-back, in this way he also liked to attack space was of course a player who made a big difference.
“In that season, when he played against Fulham, we usually had 60 to 70%, and it was an ideal game for him to play against us.”
Silva expects his Fulham side to face another gyokees in an Arsenal shirt. He discussed how the Sweden International will strengthen the existing game plan of the Gunners and the team will give an extra dimension in the attack.
“I think he fits in a playing phase that Arsenal also has,” said Silva. “Regardless of being a big club, but perhaps with all title years, they may be the team with the most consolidated and solid defensive phase. And they are a team that when they are out of possession and are deeper, don't worry too much about it.
“They are very strong in their first printing phase, but as soon as they have not succeeded, they have no problem to fall back clearly with two lines of four and their attacking midfielder and striker that well merge. And at that moment there is a lot of room to exploit; this will be a moment where Gyokeres fits very well.”
Silva, however, outlined some new challenges that Gyokeres encounter and led the border for the Gunners. “When it comes to positional attack, where Arsenal is clearly higher on the field, we will see how well he adapts to that moment of the game, but because Arsenal has that quality and competence that you do not see that much at other clubs, he will adapt very well in that respect,” Silva explained.
“I think it will have an impact. Now, whether it will have the same impact he had in Portugal, we have to analyze very carefully and see if it happens.”