Only 12 Minutes in 3 Matches! The £66.9 Million Forward Has Been Overlooked — Can Arsenal's Title-Winning Hero Turn Things Around?

After three rounds of the new Premier League season, Arsenal have secured three consecutive victories and sit at the top of the table, steadily moving toward their title defense goal. Behind the impressive results, high-priced forward Viktor Gyökeres has found himself in a difficult position, playing only 12 minutes in total across the first three matches and becoming a fringe substitute despite previously being a key contributor to the title-winning campaign.

The 28-year-old Swedish striker is in the prime stage of his career, and his Transfermarkt valuation remains at €65 million. A year ago, Arsenal spent €66.9 million to sign him from Sporting CP. During his time at Sporting, he scored 97 goals in 102 matches, showing remarkable scoring efficiency. In his first Premier League season, Gyökeres made 55 appearances and recorded 21 goals and 3 assists, helping the team win the Premier League title.

Behind the seemingly strong statistics, concerns over tactical adaptation had already emerged. Gyökeres excels at using counterattacks to attack space behind opponents, but this style is difficult to integrate into Arsenal's possession-based system, where his strengths are harder to utilize in positional attacks. Kai Havertz has been in excellent form this season and firmly occupies the starting center-forward role, further reducing Gyökeres' opportunities to play.

However, the long season has only just begun. Arsenal are about to compete on three fronts: the Premier League, the Champions League, and the League Cup, and the congested schedule will inevitably require rotation. Gyökeres will still have opportunities to earn playing time in cup competitions and prove his value. Whether this high-priced forward can overcome his current bench situation remains uncertain.