Mikel Arteta was refreshingly candid in his appraisal of Viktor Gyökeres’ first appearance in Arsenal colours after the Gunners’ 1–0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in Hong Kong. The North London derby made history as the first to be staged outside the UK, yet it also marked a tough pre‑season afternoon for Arsenal and an opaque debut for the £55–£64 million signing.
Arteta began by acknowledging that Gyökeres and fellow newcomer Cristhian Mosquera had arrived with limited time to acclimatise. “I am really happy to have them here,” he told reporters immediately after the match. “I think they are going to add a lot of value. You see straight away the energy and the quality they are going to bring.” He went on to frame their cameo appearances as important steps in their integration: “It was a short one … but at least that one is over now – and when they play against Villarreal I’m sure it will be different.”
Gyökeres entered the contest in the 77th minute with Arsenal trailing from a stunning Pape Matar Sarr strike just before half time.
The Swedish forward received a standing ovation from nearly 50,000 spectators at Kai Tak Stadium as he replaced Kai Havertz, donning the iconic No. 14 shirt—formerly worn by Thierry Henry.
Despite the warm reception, his involvement was minimal: statistical reports indicate he had only two touches and two passes—one counted as a key pass, underscoring how little space he was allowed in Spurs’ deep defensive setup.
If the numbers were underwhelming, Arteta was more interested in the attitude. He said that the first thing he noticed in Gyökeres was “conviction”—a determination and genuine connection to the club and what the number 14 shirt represents. That emotional investment, according to Arteta, makes stepping into the team that much more meaningful.
Arsenal’s frustrations during the match extended beyond Gyökeres’ limited involvement. They protested what they viewed as a foul on Myles Lewis‑Skelly in the build‑up to Tottenham’s goal, although the strike was allowed to stand.
Later, an on‑field skirmish between Arteta and Tottenham defender Pedro Porro nearly boiled over, with both managers exchanging heated gestures before the fourth official intervened.
That flare‑up encapsulated Arsenal’s inertia on the night—they never truly threatened Spurs’ goal. Key attacking figures like Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Odegaard and Havertz were largely ineffective, offering few clear-cut chances.
Arsenal registered just one shot on target across the 90 minutes from Havertz, as Spurs sat deep and defended resolutely once they had the lead.
Arteta was at pains not to overreact. He insisted there was no panic, but emphasised that Arsenal still had important work to do before their Premier League opener at Old Trafford on 17 August.
Arsenal fans who had long been calling for a proven goalscorer to lead the line felt vindicated by the signing of Gyökeres, who tallied prolific goal returns at Sporting CP over the past two seasons.
Historically, Gyökeres arrives as a celebrated figure in Lisbon, having netted over 90 goals in just over a hundred games—the kind of raw numbers that convinced Arsenal to invest heavily in his talent.
And yet on debut he was frustrated by his lack of service and match sharpness. He joined Arsenal only days before the friendly and had limited training time with his new teammates, which Arteta stressed as a key context for the subdued outing.
The broader backdrop of Arsenal’s squad rebuild this summer has seen six new signings, including midfielders Martin Zubimendi, Christian Nørgaard, defender Mosquera, goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and winger Noni Madueke.
Arteta views Gyökeres as the final piece in a fresh attacking jigsaw, tasked with finishing moves and providing presence in the penalty area. Yet there is also a recognition that other areas of the pitch—especially the left wing—remain to be strengthened, potentially through further signings such as Eberechi Eze.
Arteta’s decision to hold Gyökeres back until late into the friendly was a cautious one but also revealed his faith in the Swedish forward’s readiness.
He believes that once Gyökeres gets a proper run of minutes—such as might come against Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao—his impact will become clearer. “Short debut, yes, but that moment is done now,” Arteta insisted, projecting confidence that “when they play against Villarreal it will be different.”