Wayne Rooney has named Viktor Gyökeres as his Premier League signing of the season after Arsenal's title win. Rooney's argument is not that Gyökeres put up the flashiest numbers in the league. It is that he gave Arsenal a different edge, and that mattered after three straight runner-up finishes.

Why Rooney backed Gyokeres

Rooney told goal.com: "I think Viktor Gyokeres. Granit Xhaka has been brilliant for Sunderland but look at what Gyokeres has brought to Arsenal, it's exactly what they've needed. Finishing second over the last three years, I think he's given Arsenal something a bit different and that's been a big factor in them winning the Premier League."

That view fits the numbers Arsenal ended up with. They finished first in the Premier League with 82 points from 37 games, seven points clear of Manchester City. They also conceded only 26 league goals. Rooney's point about a new attacking and physical profile is backed by the team shape he described in the same interview.

Rooney said Arsenal had tried to play like Pep Guardiola's teams for three years before changing course. He added that Mikel Arteta had changed the recruitment, gone more to a bigger, more physical team, and built a side that does not concede goals.

Gyökeres' own league output was solid rather than spectacular. He scored 14 Premier League goals from 36 appearances and posted a 6.61 rating in the league. That is enough to support Rooney's case that his value was broader than a raw scoring tally.

The wider signing debate was not unanimous. Sports Mole readers gave Antoine Semenyo 23% of the vote, with Senne Lammens on 21%. Other outlets also picked different winners, so Rooney's choice is opinion, not consensus. But on the evidence available here, Gyökeres has the cleanest case because Arsenal's title win gives the signing real weight, not just good PR.

Arsenal's 82-point finish and 26 goals conceded make Rooney's argument easy to understand. If the club wanted a forward who altered the mood as well as the scoreline, Gyökeres fits the brief, and the title table is the first place that shows it.

FAQ

Why did Wayne Rooney name Viktor Gyokeres signing of the season?

Rooney said Gyokeres gave Arsenal something different after three straight runner-up finishes. He pointed to the forward's impact on the team's feel, not just his output. Arsenal finished first in the Premier League with 82 points from 37 games, seven points clear of Manchester City.

Was Viktor Gyokeres really the difference for Arsenal's title win?

That is Rooney's view, and he backed it by saying Arsenal needed a different attacking edge. Gyokeres scored 14 Premier League goals in 36 appearances and posted a 6.61 league rating. Rooney also said Arsenal had become a bigger, more physical side that do not concede goals.

Which players were in the wider signing of the season debate?

The debate was not unanimous. Sports Mole readers gave Antoine Semenyo 23% of the vote, with Senne Lammens on 21%. Other outlets also picked different winners, which is why Rooney's choice sits within a broader split in opinion.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →