Viktor Gyokeres Is Making His Case to Replace Kai Havertz With Sweden Form
For Arsenal this season, Viktor Gyökeres has no goals in 207 minutes—and the Gunners have played much more soccer than that. For Sweden, it’s two goals in 165 minutes.
Gyökeres will head back to Arsenal once the international window is over, bearing in mind that Sweden still plays twice more against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Romania by next Monday, seeking to become Mikel Arteta’s starting No. 9.
Kai Havertz is Arteta’s preferred center forward when healthy. But the Germany international, who spent a significant chunk of the last 18 months sidelined with injuries, is now being treated once more. He suffered a hamstring sprain while playing for Germany last week. It is not thought to be a major problem but there is also not yet any further information on his recovery.
Gyökeres scored the winner in Sweden’s UEFA Nations League triumph over Romania last Friday, before getting the third in a 3–1 victory over Poland on Monday. The former Sporting CP striker had a better second half than first half against Poland, but still stepped up to make his mark on the match anyway—made more important by Alexander Isak’s absence.
After facing Romania, Gyökeres had told reporters in no uncertain terms: “I want to play.”
Gyokeres Still Needs to Prove Himself in Arsenal Colors
For Gyökeres at Arsenal, it’s been a struggle this season.
Arteta has afforded him 29 minutes in the Premier League out of a possible 450. He played 90 minutes in the Carabao Cup against Ipswich Town but failed to score even though the Gunners got four in the match— Gyökeres took one shot and finished with a 0.05 xG. He started in the Champions League against Napoli and only had nine touches.
Gyökeres’s Sweden form, at the same time as there are fresh doubts over Havertz, is proving that he deserves a chance. He still has to actually prove himself, though.
When he arrived in 2025 off the back of 97 goals in two seasons in Portugal, Gyökeres was supposed to be the No. 9 Arsenal had lacked for years. He didn’t live up to that billing. Even though the Swede was essentially a backup to Havertz, he played 55 times because of the German’s injuries. Gyökeres scored 21 goals, a respectable tally, yet found the net just once against a top-10 finisher in the Premier League, and not at all against the top five.
When club soccer resumes, Arsenal face a Leeds United team with a better defense than theirs and the joint meanest in the division, allowing only three goals in five matches. That will be a test that the Gunners needs Gyökeres—if there is no Havertz—to pass.
