Mikel Arteta’s stance on Viktor Gyokeres is crystal clear after Arsenal striker questioned

Arsenal splashed out £64million to sign Viktor Gyokeres in the summer transfer window but the striker’s suitability for Mikel Arteta’s side has already come under scrutiny

His journey to the top probably explains his mentality. Viktor Gyokeres has had to fight to get to Arsenal, to become a Champions League striker and one of the most prolific in Europe.

And his mindset since arriving at Arsenal has blown people away because of his sheer determination, personality and drive to succeed. Some describe it as the best they have ever seen: an unshakeable belief and desire to improve, prove himself and become one of the best in the business.

The more he is written off and dismissed, the more he wants to show what he is about. Whether that is extra training, extra sessions in the gym or work on his finishing and technique. Gyokeres is up for the fight.

His start at Arsenal has raised question marks about his suitability for a Mikel Arteta team and, specifically, whether his movement will be good enough. But in every session, Gyokeres works so hard, listens and then shows an incredible desire to improve on the training ground.

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It has impressed even experienced coaches and team-mates just how much Gyokeres is prepared to work to succeed. His start has seen him score three goals in his first four Premier League games, which is not a bad return and there are clearly more to follow.

And now Gyokeres will face Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday night in the Champions League and this is a competition he should feel at home in. His hat-trick against Manchester City for Sporting Lisbon last November was one of the key factors as to why Arsenal believed he had the pedigree and ability to succeed.

Gyokeres drew a blank against Arsenal in the same competition three weeks later but the club’s scouts saw enough in that performance – when he was up against Gabriel and William Saliba – to convince them.

His physique, build and strength means that he is often seen as a battering ram and did get knocked from pillar to post by Arsenal’s centre halves. But there was enough in there to convince Arsenal that he was up for the fight and, while he was quiet on his Arsenal debut at Manchester United, there was more positivity among Arteta and his coaches about his display at Liverpool.

Gyokeres puts himself about, works hard for the team and is a natural goalscorer. He did miss a chunk of pre-season while pushing to leave Sporting because he had his mind set on joining Arsenal.

It was not a simple move but, again, Gyokeres pushed hard, tried to remain respectful but saw his end game. This is the player who began his career in Sweden, went to Brighton but was farmed out on loan to St Pauli and Swansea.

Gyokeres made his mark at Coventry but he decided to push to go abroad to make his next step. He saw Sporting as a better next step because he would be given freedom to grow, he scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting. The Portuguese league is hard to compare to the Premier League but he has scored goals in the Champions League.

And it is that element which really appealed: he is a striker for the here and now. He can score goals as Arsenal chase European glory and contribute to the Premier league title challenge. You are not waiting on potential. He is 27 and ready to go.

He has good movement, a striker’s instinct when it comes to positioning and a poacher’s eye when it comes to finishing. He is powerful, he works hard in the gym and can strike the ball with both feet. He has been good at his link-up play in Sporting. But perhaps his biggest asset of all is that mindset and desire to succeed at all costs.

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