Victor Goqueres joined Arsenal after prolific scoring goals at Sporting Lisbon, but opinions are divided within the Premier League and the striker has yet to find his place.
Arsenal star Victor Gokeres fears the Swede will become a mediocre player for the Gunners after former Premier League winner Dwight Yorke called him “not world-class”.
The Swede joined Emirates in the summer for £63 million after two impressive years at Sporting Lisbon. He scored 97 goals during his spell in Portugal, alarming Europe’s elite and manager Mikel Arteta seeing him as the man to lead the team.
Arsenal have faced calls for a striker for several years now, but Gokeres has yet to make the impact many expected. He has scored six goals and the North Londoners are top of the Premier League, but he is not as effective as he was in Lisbon.
The England international’s move to the top flight is a step up for a player who featured in the Championship with Coventry City three years ago, but Yorke still believes he can score goals thanks to Arsenal’s overwhelming dominance, and that will play into his hands.
The former Manchester United star told Snavare: “Jokeres is exactly the player Arsenal needed. They needed a centre-forward and they have a player who can score goals, even if he is not tested at this level.”
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“He’s made a decent start. He’s a very good player but not world class. I like to see my centre-forwards offer something a little more exciting than what he offers, but the game has changed so he’s doing well with Arsenal dominating the game. The Premier League is different than other leagues around the world. It’s not as easy as the Portuguese league. He has to have a big personality, like I did at United, and it feels like no other league is better than you.
“It’s simple. When I go on the pitch, I have to show them that I can play. It’s not arrogance, it’s confidence in my abilities. That’s always been my mindset and if Gokeres has that approach, I respect him a lot. If he ends up being just another player in the Arsenal team, he’ll end up being an average player.”
Gokeres is Arsenal’s top scorer this season, alongside Bukayo Saka. Many players contribute to goals, including offensive depth and plenty of options. The Swede has lost out to the likes of Igor Thiago and Danny Welbeck, but many team-mates have highlighted his value.
Saka is one of the players at bat for Gokeres, who has suppressed criticism for his debut. The Arsenal ace claimed that much of the Swede’s efforts go unnoticed but ultimately benefit the team.
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