Viktor Gyokeres Reveals Arsenal Transfer Stance Amid Mikel Arteta Criticism Valencia 2026

Key Points

• Transfer Stance: Viktor Gyokeres has explicitly stated his desire to remain at Arsenal despite ongoing speculation linking him with a move away in the upcoming January transfer window.
• Limited League Minutes: The 28-year-old Swedish striker has started only one Premier League match during the 2026–27 campaign, accumulating 187 minutes across seven league appearances as manager Mikel Arteta consistently favours Kai Havertz in major fixtures.
• Champions League Output: Gyokeres recently recorded a goal and an assist in Arsenal’s 2–1 Champions League victory over SK Slavia Prague, yet returned to the substitutes’ bench for the subsequent 1–0 Premier League win against Hull City.
• Response to Critics: Addressing critical remarks from pundits including former Premier League players Troy Deeney and Nigel Reo-Coker, Gyokeres stated that external noise rarely affects him as long as he contributes goals and assists in Europe.
• Relationship with Arteta: The forward confirmed that communication with Arteta remains constructive, involving regular tactical discussions regarding opposition weaknesses whenever he is scheduled to start.

Arsenal (North London News) November 12, 2026 – Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres has publicly confirmed his intention to remain at the Emirates Stadium, dismissing transfer speculation and external criticism despite starting only one Premier League match during the 2026–27 season. Speaking while on international duty with Sweden in Valencia ahead of UEFA Nations League fixtures against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Poland, the 28-year-old addressed his reduced domestic role under manager Mikel Arteta and responded directly to recent scrutiny from television pundits.

What did Viktor Gyokeres say about his Arsenal transfer stance?

Asked directly during a television interview with Swedish broadcaster Fotbollskanalen/TV4 whether he wants to stay at Arsenal, Gyokeres replied simply: “I want to” (also translated in press reports as “I do”). The statement comes amidst persistent rumours surrounding a potential departure when the transfer window reopens in January, following summer speculation that linked the forward with clubs such as Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, and Juventus.

As reported by All Football and Football Écologie France, Gyokeres emphasized that his personal outlook and the collective atmosphere inside the North London club remain positive despite his reduced starting opportunities in the English top flight. Discussing his current form and squad role, Gyokeres stated: “It feels good when I’ve been playing. We’ve won most of our matches. It was a tough defeat in the cup [against Fleetwood]. Otherwise, it’s felt good for me personally and for the team”. He further noted: “I’ve been doing well recently when I’ve been given the chance to play. Right now, it feels good”.

Why has Viktor Gyokeres started only one Premier League game this season?

While Gyokeres finished as Arsenal’s top goalscorer during his debut 2025–26 campaign—netting 14 Premier League goals as the club ended a 22-year wait for the league title—Mikel Arteta has predominantly selected German international Kai Havertz to lead the attack in marquee fixtures. Statistical records confirm that across the first 11 rounds of the 2026–27 Premier League season, Gyokeres has featured in seven matches for a total of 187 minutes, starting only once (a 2–0 home win against Everton on October 24, in which he provided an assist).

Even after delivering a goal and an assist in Arsenal’s 2–1 away victory against SK Slavia Prague in the UEFA Champions League on November 5, Gyokeres was named among the substitutes three days later for the 1–0 Premier League win over Hull City, coming off the bench for the final 28 minutes. Similarly, following the October international break, Havertz’s rapid recovery from a hamstring strain sustained with Germany saw Gyokeres remain on the bench against Leeds United.

How is Viktor Gyokeres’s relationship with Mikel Arteta?

Despite being deployed primarily as a rotational option in the league and a regular starter in cup competitions, Gyokeres rejected suggestions of friction with the Arsenal coaching staff. Speaking to Fotbollskanalen/TV4, the forward detailed his working dynamic with Arteta: “Communication with Arteta is good. We talk about football and how we should play. Ahead of a match, if I’m due to start, we talk about the opposition and what I should bear in mind”.

Data reflects official 2026–27 club statistics through November 12, 2026.

How did Viktor Gyokeres respond to criticism from Troy Deeney and Nigel Reo-Coker?

Gyokeres’s performances and tactical fit within Arsenal’s system have drawn scrutiny from several English football pundits, notably former Premier League players Troy Deeney and Nigel Reo-Coker. Following Arsenal’s EFL Cup fourth-round penalty shootout defeat to League Two side Fleetwood Town on October 28—a match in which Gyokeres started and scored a 50th-minute equaliser—Deeney argued on CBS Sports that the striker should have felt “offended” to be selected for a heavily rotated cup line-up. As reported by Football365, Deeney stated on CBS Sports: “Personally, I would be kind of offended if the manager was saying I was playing in this game. That would be how I look at it”. Deeney also claimed that Arsenal teammates lacked trust in the striker and pointed to summer transfer links involving Julian Alvarez. Meanwhile, Nigel Reo-Coker questioned Arteta’s trust in the Swede for major matches.

When asked during his international press duties about the ongoing critique from pundits, Gyokeres brushed off the commentary. Addressing the remarks in his interview with Fotbollskanalen/TV4, he said: “Sometimes it might get to me, but generally not that much. If I’m scoring goals and providing assists in the Champions League, I couldn’t care less what they say”. He added that decisive contributions in major European fixtures carry far greater weight than external punditry.

Background of the Development

Viktor Gyokeres joined Arsenal from Portuguese club Sporting CP in the summer of 2025 as one of Europe’s highest-profile attacking acquisitions, signing a long-term contract running until 2030. Across all competitions since arriving at the Emirates Stadium, the 28-year-old has registered 23 goals and six assists in 69 appearances. During his first campaign in 2025–26, Gyokeres featured in 36 Premier League matches—scoring 14 goals—and added five goals in 13 UEFA Champions League appearances as Arsenal secured the Premier League title and reached the Champions League final. However, his tactical integration into Arteta’s possession-heavy system has remained a subject of ongoing debate, with Havertz frequently preferred as a focal point in high-stakes domestic fixtures due to his link-up play and off-the-ball pressing.

Prediction: How This Development Can Affect Arsenal Supporters and the Club

For Arsenal supporters, coaching staff, and the club’s hierarchy, Gyokeres’s public commitment provides stability ahead of the January transfer window. With Arsenal competing across the Premier League and UEFA Champions League during a congested winter schedule, retaining a proven goalscorer contracted until 2030 removes immediate pressure on the club to enter the mid-season market for an emergency replacement. For supporters, the striker’s willingness to accept squad rotation alongside Kai Havertz indicates dressing-room cohesion rather than internal unrest, ensuring Arteta retains two distinct tactical profiles—Havertz’s false-nine link-up play and Gyokeres’s direct channel running—for the second half of the 2026–27 campaign.