"I want to!" Viktor Gyokeres said when asked about his future, and the answer was direct enough to cut through the exit talk around him. He has started just once in the Premier League this term for Arsenal, but the striker says he still wants to stay and is not spending much time worrying about outside noise.
Gyokeres' case for staying
The more detailed defence came in comments to A Bola, translated from Portuguese. Gyokeres said, "The communication with Arteta is good. We talk about football and about how we should play. Before a match, if I am going to be in the starting XI, we discuss the opponents and what I should think about."
That sits alongside his other line of defence, his actual output when he does play. He said, "If I score a goal and register an assist in the Champions League, then I do not care at all what they say." He also said he feels good when he plays, and that things have been positive for him and the team apart from the cup defeat against Fleetwood Town, which he described as tough.
The league usage is still thin. Gyokeres has made 7 Premier League appearances, totalling only 181 minutes, and he has 0 league goals with 1 assist. Across Europe, the return looks healthier, with 4 Champions League appearances and 3 goal contributions, including a goal and an assist against Slavia Praha.
Arsenal's own setup has also kept the debate alive. Gyokeres arrived last summer for £63.5million and ended his maiden Premier League campaign for the club with 14 goals. This season, though, the route has been different, and his response has been to say plainly that he wants to stay rather than feed speculation.
He has not solved the selection argument, but he has at least given his side of it. The next time Arsenal name a Champions League starting XI, the discussion around Gyokeres will be judged against a striker who says the communication is good and still wants to be there.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
