Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed his excitement and cautious optimism about new signing Viktor Gyokeres as the Swedish striker gears up for a potential debut in the highly anticipated North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur.
The pre-season friendly, set to take place at Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong on Thursday, marks the first time the fierce rivals will clash outside the UK, adding an extra layer of intrigue to Gyokeres’ possible first appearance in a Gunners shirt.
The £63.5m acquisition from Sporting CP has been the talk of Arsenal’s pre-season tour in Asia, with fans eager to see whether the prolific forward can live up to the hype.
Gyokeres, who has taken the iconic No. 14 shirt previously worn by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, arrived last week and has had limited time to integrate with his new teammates. Despite this, Arteta has been impressed by the 27-year-old’s mentality and determination to make an immediate impact.
Speaking at a press conference in Hong Kong, Arteta highlighted Gyokeres’ emotional connection to the club as a key factor in his signing. “I use the word conviction, and that’s the first thing I noticed when I spoke to him,” Arteta said. “Someone very determined, someone that was already really attached to the club with the way he was talking about the club, the history, and in this case Thierry and what the shirt represented. He straight away felt it, and when you feel it – go for it.”
The Spaniard’s comments reflect the high expectations surrounding Gyokeres, whose goal-scoring exploits in Portugal have raised hopes that he could be the missing piece in Arsenal’s quest for a first Premier League title since 2004.
However, Arteta remained cautious about whether Gyokeres would feature against Spurs, citing the striker’s limited training time with the squad. “He’s only done today’s session, and yesterday very little,” Arteta explained. “We’re going to assess on Wednesday night how he is and if the medical staff are happy with his condition to participate in tomorrow’s match, then it’s a possibility.”
This measured approach underscores the manager’s awareness of the risks involved in rushing a new signing into a high-stakes encounter, even if it is a pre-season fixture. The physicality of Tottenham’s squad, particularly with players like Cristian Romero in their ranks, has prompted warnings about the potential dangers of exposing Gyokeres too soon.
The backdrop to this clash is one of transition for both clubs. Tottenham, now under the stewardship of Thomas Frank following Ange Postecoglou’s departure after a disappointing 16th-place finish last season, are looking to rebuild. Frank, who earned widespread praise for his work at Brentford, faces a daunting task to revive Spurs, who are without several key players due to injuries, including Bryan Gil, Dejan Kulusevski, and Destiny Udogie.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are under scrutiny after signs of stagnation last season, despite reaching the Champions League semifinals and finishing second in the Premier League. Arteta acknowledged the challenge posed by Spurs, praising Frank’s influence. “That’s great to hear, especially from someone like Frank that I respect immensely,” he said in response to Frank’s comment that Arsenal are “one of the best teams in the world, unfortunately.” He added, “I think tomorrow we’re going to start to see the direction that he’s going to take with the team, implementing his vision, his philosophy. And of course, we need to be focused on what we want to do.”
Gyokeres’ potential debut comes at a pivotal moment for Arsenal, who have bolstered their squad with signings like Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, and Noni Madueke. The Swedish striker’s arrival is seen as a statement of intent, but Arteta is keen to manage expectations. “We want him with us as quick as possible, but we’ll have to assess, and the medical team will do that,” he reiterated.