‘I Want to Play’—Viktor Gyokeres Airs Arsenal Frustration

Viktor Gyökeres is frustrated by how his season with Arsenal has started, sitting on the bench when Mikel Arteta names his preferred strongest XI.

It was a theme of last season that when Kai Havertz was healthy and available, Arteta chose the German over Gyökeres, despite the latter’s $84.2 million (£63.5 million) price tag and status as a natural center forward with a blistering record at his former team.

That has continued into 2026–27, with the Swede used for only 19 minutes out of a possible 450 in the Premier League. He’s started one match each in the Champions League and Carabao Cup.

With only 207 minutes on the pitch across six weeks, he has yet to score for the Gunners this season. Gyökeres was at least included from the start as Sweden beat Romania in the UEFA Nations League on Friday, scoring the winning goal as he partnered Alexander Isak.

“I haven’t played a lot, but I’ve had a few games. It has felt okay, but it’s clear that I want to play football—and as much as possible. Hopefully that will come, too. You always want to be on the field as a football player,” the striker told reporters after the Romania match.

“Of course you expect more playing time, but we have an extremely good squad with a lot of good players and have been doing well here at the start,” he added, referencing Arsenal’s near-flawless results. “I’m just trying to focus on what I can control and do my best to play more.”

Gyökeres admitted that he needs to “do better” and is “willing” to work harder to achieve that. He also said that his communication with Arteta on the subject remains “good.”

Latest Havertz Injury Opens Door for Gyokeres

Kai Havertz treated during Netherlands vs. Germany — Kai Havertz injured his hamstring on Thursday. | Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty Images

Gyökeres divided opinion last season. He arrived from Sporting CP after scoring 54 goals in 52 appearances—97 in 102 over his two years in Lisbon. It was then 21 goals in 55 Arsenal games, which is an impressive tally on the face of it.

He started 37 times across the Premier League and Champions League, largely because of Havertz’s lengthy injury layoff. But Gyökeres scored only three times against the Premier League’s top-10 finishers and not at all against any of the top five. He also found the net just once in the knockout phase of the Champions League.

Arteta’s preference for Havertz was laid bare when the German started as the No. 9 in a crucial match against Manchester City in April.

But Gyökeres’s minutes might be about to increase. Havertz suffered a sprain of the hamstring muscle during Germany’s 1–1 draw with the Netherlands on Thursday and has withdrawn from the squad in order to be assessed by Arsenal medical staff.

There is nothing yet to suggest that Havertz is going to be ruled out long term again, but Gyökeres needs to make sure he takes any chance that comes his way.

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