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Mikel Arteta gives immediate verdict on Viktor Gyokeres after Arsenal debut
Mikel Arteta handed Viktor Gyokeres his Arsenal debut during the friendly against Tottenham in Hong Kong.
The Sweden international was made to wait until the 77th minute before he was thrown into the north London derby, as Arsenal trailed 1-0 following a brilliant strike by Pape Matar Sarr, who impressed Spurs fans.
Arsenal only announced the £64m deal on Saturday – meaning he has been afforded little time to train – so there was presumably a reluctance to hand the Swede a significant amount of minutes in case an injury occurred.
Viktor Gyokeres did not see much of the ball on his Arsenal debut – taking just two touches – but Mikel Arteta was pleased nonetheless.
Mikel Arteta “happy” with Viktor Gyokeres after Arsenal debut
The Spaniard told reporters after the 1-0 defeat against Tottenham: “I am really happy to have them here (Gyokeres and Cristhian Mosquera).
“I think they are going to add a lot of value. You see straight away the energy and the quality they are going to bring.
“It was a short one (their debuts) but at least that one is over now – and when they play against Villarreal I’m sure it will be different.”
Ultimately, this north London derby clash was nothing more than an exercise to improve fitness levels and introduce the likes of Gyokeres – as well as Mosquera – to their new teammates.
Therefore, the result, nor the lack of impact from the £64m man, should be examined too closely by Arsenal fans.
How Viktor Gyokeres fared statistically on first outing for Arsenal
There was not a lot for Arsenal fans inside the Kai Tak Stadium to shout about when it comes to Gyokeres – who really pushed for his move to north London.
Tottenham sat back and defended their lead once the new Arsenal No.14 had entered the fray, making it difficult for him to find space inside the area and get involved in proceedings.
Sofascore shows that Gyokeres, who Sporting CP fans idolise, registered just two passes – which were both accurate with one actually going down as a key pass.
The 27-year-old also had just two touches of the ball, as aforesaid.
While it was undoubtedly a quiet debut from Gyokeres, he can be spared from any criticism due to the context of the game.
Tottenham defended deep for the 19 minutes he was on the pitch – while the man born in Stockholm is also still getting used to his new teammates after two seasons at Sporting CP.