Viktor Gyokeres is a new Arsenal player.
The Gunners have been trying to strengthen their forward line for most of the summer transfer window with attempts to bring RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko to the Emirates falling apart before a deal for Gyokeres was spread out over weeks of negotiations.
Arsenal finally secured their striker in a £55m deal, which could rise to £65m with related add-ons, and Gyokeres passed a medical on Saturday 26 July before flying out to Singapore to meet up with the squad for their pre-season tour.
Mikel Arteta’s side have been strengthening during this transfer window with Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard, Cristhian Mosquera and Kepa Arrizabalaga already secured before Gyokeres’ signing.
Adding the Swedish into the mix and the Gunners now seemingly have enough depth in their squad to compete on multiple fronts and finally maintain a title challenge to the last days of a Premier League season.
A period of consistency and improvement under Arteta has seen them finish second in the table in each of the last three years but the manager hopes to take his team one step further and secure a top-flight title for the first time since the 2003/04 season.
Gyokeres could be a major part of that challenge with the Swedish forward, who scored 39 goals and made seven assists for Sporting last season, tasked with leading the line and netting the bulk of Arsenal’s goals this year.
He will need to hit the ground running as the Gunners open their campaign with a flurry of difficult fixtures that could make or break their season at the first hurdle.
With four pre-season matches to play ahead of the Premier League’s return Gyokeres has time to bed himself into the line-up and create the vital links with his creative teammates. But when will he make his Arsenal debut?
When will Viktor Gyokeres make his Arsenal debut?
Mikel Arteta could decide to throw Gyokeres into the mix straight away with the Gunners scheduled to face Newcastle United in a pre-season friendly on Sunday 27 July. The match is being played as part of Arsenal’s Asia tour and takes place at the Singapore National Stadium with kick off at 12.30pm BST.
Should Gyokeres play it would likely be a substitute appearance but it would be his debut as an Arsenal player. If Arteta decides today’s match is too soon to hand him a first appearance, Gyokeres could play his first game in an Arsenal shirt on Thursday 31 July at the Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong against London rivals Tottenham.
When will he make his Premier League debut?
Though Gyokeres is likely to play a couple of friendlies for Arsenal in the build-up to the new Premier League season his first, full debut for the club will be on the opening weekend of the season.
Arsenal take on Manchester United at Old Trafford in the headline match on Sunday 17 August with kick off at 4.30pm BST.
