Mikel Arteta receives Viktor Gyokeres message loud and clear in Champions League

Arsenal transfer target Viktor Gyokeres has given Mikel Arteta another glimpse of what he could have had after scoring and shining in the Champions League for Sporting CP.

Despite being linked with big-name stars such as Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, Al-Ahli’s new forward Ivan Toney and the goal-hungry Gyokeres, Arteta chose not to invest in a proven striker this summer.

Instead, the Gunners strengthened other areas, bringing in defensive cover in Riccardo Calafiori, adding midfielder Mikel Merino to their ranks, and loaning Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling.

Gyokeres is showing, though, that Arsenal may have missed a glorious chance to bring in a solution to their longstanding limitations up front. Having started his league campaign impressively, he followed that up by scoring in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Sporting faced a challenging task against Lille at home on Tuesday (September 17), but it took Gyokeres just 38 minutes to make his mark on the Champions League.

His first goal in the competition came after an impressive start in his domestic league, where he scored in each of Sporting’s first five matches, including a hat-trick against Farense and a double against Nacional – totalling eight goals in five games.

The Swedish sensation is making waves on the international stage too, with a goal and two assists against Azerbaijan in the UEFA Nations League, followed by a double against Estonia.

The Gunners had previously shown interest in the striker, who’s now among Europe’s elite, during the summer transfer window, reports the Mirror.

Despite his hefty £86million release clause, Sporting Lisbon were open to negotiating, with reports indicating that an offer around £70m might have been enough to secure his services. Sporting even took steps to facilitate a potential move, reportedly paying Coventry City to lower the sell-on fee for their former player.

However, as Arsenal allocated funds elsewhere, Arteta appeared to close the door on any new striking additions following Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Wolves on the opening day of the new campaign. Speaking to talkSPORT, Arteta expressed confidence in his current options, saying: “I have faith in [Havertz], we have faith in [Gabriel Jesus].

“Leandro [Trossard] has played in that position. So we have different qualities in there and the best thing we can do is trust the players that we have and try improve them. They are so good and so willing and that’s what we focus on.”

The Gunners have kicked off the season without a loss, as their only slip-up came in the 1-1 draw at home to Brighton. However, considering the outstanding form Gyokeres has displayed across various competitions, he could have undoubtedly brought an additional edge to Arsenal’s squad. Arteta and Edu may regret not taking their chance.