Viktor Gyökeres came to Arsenal as the man who outscored Mbappé, Haaland, and Kane, a goal machine fresh off a stunning spell at Sporting, where he bagged nearly 100 goals in two seasons and scooped the Gerd Müller Trophy. Arsenal fans thought they’d signed their new superstar.
But the Premier League has hit him hard. The Swedish striker, who tore apart defences in Portugal, has found life at the Emirates much tougher, managing just three goals so far.
And now, Alan Shearer has delivered a blunt verdict that will sting.
“He’s not in the league of the three (Mbappé, Kane, or Haaland) we showed in the previous clip, far from that,” Shearer told the BBC. “But I think he brings a different strength… he’ll have to improve his goalscoring, as you said, he’s only got three.”
Ouch. From winning trophies over Europe’s elite to being told he’s not even close, the contrast couldn’t be sharper.
Still, Shearer’s jab wasn’t all doom and gloom. The Premier League legend acknowledged Gyökeres’ physical power and link-up play, traits that offer Arsenal something different, even if the goals haven’t flowed yet.
For Gyökeres, the message is simple: forget trying to be Mbappé, just start scoring. Arsenal needs goals, and fast.
If the Swede can rediscover even a slice of his Sporting form, he might just prove Shearer, and everyone else, wrong. But until then, the comparisons to Europe’s best will remain a harsh reminder of how far he still has to climb.
