{"id":8828,"date":"2026-05-02T06:12:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T06:12:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=8828"},"modified":"2026-05-02T06:12:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T06:12:22","slug":"mikel-arteta-told-arsenal-should-have-signed-26m-striker-instead-of-viktor-gyokeres-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=8828","title":{"rendered":"Mikel Arteta told Arsenal should have signed \u00a326m striker instead of Viktor Gyokeres | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
Viktor Gyokeres has had a mixed first season at Arsenal (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Liverpool hero Vladimir Smicer believes Arsenal \u2018might have won the Premier League already\u2019 had they signed a \u00a326m striker instead of Viktor Gyokeres.<\/p>\n

Gyokeres has had a mixed first season at Arsenal following his \u00a364m move from Sporting last summer, scoring 19 goals in all competitions.<\/p>\n

There was serious concerns over the Sweden international after he netted just five Premier League goals in the first six months of the season, but Gyokeres has at least improved his output since January with 16 goals for club and country.<\/p>\n

Doubts remain over Gyokeres\u2019 long-term viability as Arsenal\u2019s first-choice striker, however, and the Gunners are believed to be interested in signing a new No. 9 this summer.<\/p>\n

Mikel Arteta hoped Gyokeres would be the final piece of the jigsaw in an Arsenal team that had finished second in the Premier League for three successive season.<\/p>\n

Despite the question marks over Gyokeres, he has played a part in taking Arsenal to the top of the Premier League table and one game away from a place in the Champions League final.<\/p>\n

But former Liverpool star Smicer believes Arsenal would already virtually be Premier League champions if they had Patrik Schick leading the line instead of Gyokeres.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"ACF\t<\/div>
Ex-Liverpool star and Champions League winner Vladimir Smicer (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Patrik Schick is a classic goalscorer,\u2019 the Champions League winner told BetVictor. \u2018In the\u00a0box, he\u2019s very, very clever and he can finish from all angles.<\/p>\n

\u2018His left foot is really good. Unfortunately for him, he\u2019s suffered a lot from muscle injuries.<\/p>\n

\u2018If Schick had joined Arsenal instead of Viktor Gyokeres, I think they might have won the Premier League title already.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Czechia\t<\/div>
Bayer Leverkusen and Czech Republic star Patrik Schick (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018With the same chances, he would have scored a lot more goals. I\u2019m certain of that because he is a much better finisher. I\u2019d still like to see him in the Premier League.\u2019<\/p>\n

Schick has scored 100 goals in 207 appearances for Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen and 25 goals in 52 caps for Czech Republic.<\/p>\n

His most famous goal \u2013 an incredible strike from the halfway line \u2013 was scored against Scotland in Euro 2020 and voted the Goal of the Tournament and nominated for the Puskas Award.<\/p>\n

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The 30-year-old has previously been linked with a move to the Premier League with Manchester United among the interested clubs last summer.<\/p>\n

Smicer is certainly not the only pundit to question Gyokeres, with his former Liverpool teammate Jamie Carragher recently urging Arsenal to sign a new striker in the summer.<\/p>\n

Atletico Madrid striker and former Manchester City star Julian Alvarez \u2013 who scored against the Gunners in the Champions League semi-final first leg, is believed to be of interest to Arsenal ahead of the summer transfer window.<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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