Mikel Arteta has identified Viktor Gyokeres' time at Brighton & Hove Albion as the period where the Swedish striker "learnt the most" about himself and the game. Despite limited first-team opportunities with the Seagulls, Arteta believes that this challenging phase was foundational to Gyokeres' subsequent success.
Gyokeres joined Brighton in 2018 but made only eight senior appearances before moving to Coventry City permanently in 2021. While it might seem like a frustrating period in his career, Arteta views it as a crucial learning experience. "That was probably the most important part of his career," Arteta stated. "When he had to accept a different role and don't play and value other things."
Arteta believes that during his time at Brighton, Gyokeres had to improve and evolve. This period allowed him to "take the platform and went to another level". Arteta feels that such experiences can be "very useful in your career at a young age".
After leaving England, Gyokeres thrived, particularly during his two seasons at Sporting Lisbon. He scored an impressive 97 goals in 102 appearances, winning back-to-back Primeira Liga titles and a domestic cup. He also finished as the league's top scorer in both campaigns.
Arsenal signed the 27-year-old striker from Sporting Lisbon in July 2025. The Gunners paid an initial fee of €63.5 million (£55 million), with potential add-ons that could increase the total cost. During his time with Sporting, Gyokeres scored 97 goals in 102 appearances and helped the team win consecutive Primeira Liga titles and a national cup. He was also the league's top scorer in both seasons.
Gyokeres has also performed well at the international level, scoring 15 goals in 26 appearances for Sweden. He began his career with IF Brommapojkarna, where he progressed through the youth academy and made his senior debut at 17. In January 2018, he joined Brighton & Hove Albion and had loan spells at Swansea City, St. Pauli, and Coventry City. He moved to Coventry permanently in 2021 and helped them reach the Championship play-off final in 2023.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expects Gyokeres to have a "tremendous impact" this season. Arteta highlighted Gyokeres' qualities, saying, "He's got that charisma, he's got that personality and he's a really confident boy". He also praised the striker's goal-scoring record, noting that Gyokeres possesses a "killer instinct" and an "intuition inside the box to get the ball and put it in the back of the net".
Arteta believes that Gyokeres is adapting well to his new team. "[Viktor's] getting better and better every day," Arteta said. "He's normally a really fit player. It's true that he hasn't trained so much with us... So let's see what we do on Sunday."
Arsenal has strengthened their squad with several new signings, including Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, and Noni Madueke. Arteta is under pressure to deliver a league title after Arsenal finished as runners-up in the Premier League in the last three seasons. The Gunners will face Manchester United in their season opener, and Arteta anticipates a challenging title race.
