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Opinion
Arsenal fans love what Mikel Merino told Viktor Gyokeres after meeting him for the first time
Viktor Gyokeres had the chance to meet his new Arsenal teammates ahead of Sunday’s pre-season friendly against Newcastle United.
Arsenal agreed a £64m deal to sign Gyokeres from Sporting CP following weeks of negotiations with the Portuguese club.
Mikel Arteta finally signs the centre forward his team has been missing for quite some time now, and he’s managed to land one of the most lethal goal scorers in Europe.
Ahead of their previous pre-season match, the club’s new number 14 met several of his new teammates, and fans loved the interaction he had with Mikel Merino.
Mikel Merino welcomes Viktor Gyokeres to the Arsenal family
Fans are loving Merino welcoming Viktor Gyokeres to the Arsenal family after meeting the Gunners’ new striker for the first time.
The 27-year-old had a chance to greet his new teammates prior to their pre-season friendly against Newcastle United in Singapore.
When Merino met Gyokeres for the first time, he said: “Viktor, hi. Welcome to the family, man!”
Merino and Gyokeres could be battling it out for a spot in the number nine role next season, following the Spaniard’s impressive performances there.
But despite that, the 29-year-old looks really pleased to welcome the £62m signing to the club, issuing him a classy message.
Arsenal supporters have now taken to X to share their admiration for Merino’s message and have hailed the midfielder for being so welcoming.
One fan said: “Havertz is so welcoming, especially with him being concerned about him being happy! Meanwhile, Merino goes ‘Welcome to the family’ heartwarming stuff! Arsenal has undeniable class.”
“Mikel Merino is the best, isn’t he? Can’t not like him… Giving it ‘welcome to the family’ haha,” claimed another.
There was further praise for Merino: “Mikel Merino is a well-cultured man. I love him!”
Finally, another fan stated: “I love Merino saying ‘welcome to the family’. Also, people think Havertz wants to leave… He looks buzzing to see Gyokeres!”
Merino’s role in the team will now be rather interesting with Kai Havertz and Gyokeres both competing for the striker role.
The Spaniard is likely to revert back to being a midfielder, but there are question marks as to whether he is good enough to play there.
Arsenal fans were disappointed by Merino’s performance against Newcastle, despite him getting on the scoresheet with a brace.
Viktor Gyokeres set to make Arsenal debut against Tottenham
The Swedish international could now make his first appearance for the North London club against Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday.
Gyokeres is expected to make his debut against Tottenham but is unlikely to start from the off, having started training with his teammates on Tuesday.
After scoring over 50 goals in the last two seasons for Sporting, it will be fascinating to see whether he can get close to that at Arsenal.
In theory, playing alongside players like Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Declan Rice should allow him plenty of chances to feed off.