Micah Richards has questioned Viktor Gyokeres' future at Arsenal, suggesting the club may need to move the striker on in the January transfer window. The pundit's comments come after a difficult start to the season for the Swedish forward, who has scored just once in 11 appearances.
Richards stated that things are "just not happening" for the £64 million signing, who joined from Sporting Lisbon 18 months ago. The former Manchester City defender urged the club to give Gyokeres a run of 90-minute games to help him find form and confidence, but acknowledged the reality of the situation at the Emirates. Gyokeres has averaged just 42 minutes per appearance this season, a statistic that underlines his struggle for a consistent role.
"When he first arrived at Arsenal, I was saying to the Arsenal fans, 'Don't expect him to be scoring 25 and 30 goals'," Richards said.
Gyokeres, who netted 21 times last season, was left on the bench for the Champions League final defeat to PSG in May, with manager Mikel Arteta preferring Kai Havertz. The 28-year-old was signed to provide firepower but has struggled to consistently impact games this campaign. The team has scored 13 goals and conceded only five in the league, but the scoring burden has not fallen on the striker.
His only goal this term came in the dramatic 1-1 draw with Fleetwood Town last week, a game that saw Arsenal maintain their unbeaten run. The Gunners sit second in the Premier League standings with 21 points from eight matches, their recent form reading three wins and two draws from the last five. This unbeaten sequence includes the draw at Fleetwood Town, a 2-0 win over Everton, a 2-2 draw with Bayern München, a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest, and a 3-0 victory over Lille.
Arteta's side face a key test next, travelling to face Liverpool this weekend in a key Premier League fixture on Sunday 1 November. Liverpool currently sit fourth in the table, making it a key clash at the top.
With Bukayo Saka the club's top scorer on just three goals, questions about the attack's quality persist despite the strong league position. Gyokeres' situation presents a significant decision for the club hierarchy as the January window approaches.
More detail at Daily Mirror Football
