Viktor Gyokeres has revealed that Arsenal’s dominant 5-1 victory over his former club Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League last season played a key role in his decision to join the Gunners.
The 27-year-old Swedish striker has signed a five-year contract with Arsenal for a total fee of €73million (£63million).
The deal included a €63million transfer fee plus €10million in add-ons, after some negotiations between the clubs delayed the move.
Gyokeres was part of the Sporting team that was convincingly beaten by Mikel Arteta’s side during the group stage of Europe’s premier competition in November.
“I just felt it was the right club for me,” said Gyokeres.
“What I heard from Mikel and [sporting director] Andrea Berta and just what I’ve seen in the past years, how they’ve been playing football.
“When I played against Arsenal last season, I could really feel it was a very strong team and very difficult to play against.
“That made me choose Arsenal, and of course all the history the club has and the massive fan base.”
This signing brings Arsenal’s summer spending to approximately £204 million, following the arrivals of Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Nørgaard, Noni Madueke, and Cristhian Mosquera.
“Viktor has so many qualities. He is a quick and powerful presence up front, with incredible goalscoring numbers at club and international levels,” said manager Arteta.
“He brings a clinical edge with a high conversion rate of chances into goals, with his intelligent movement in the box making him a constant threat.
“We’re excited about what Viktor brings to our squad and are looking forward to starting working with him.”
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