Keep or axe? SunSport’s Arsenal reporters have their say on Viktor Gyokeres with Gunners craving world-class forward

ARSENAL are still in the market for a world-class forward this summer as Mikel Arteta looks to build on their title success. The Gunners were unable to pull off an ambitious deal to sign Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid and are now looking at alternative options. Arsenal are still in the market for a top forward this summer Credit: AFP Viktor Gyokeres’ future has been a topic of discussion as Arsenal look to strengthen their front line Credit: Getty With a serious lack of top quality left wingers on the market, Arsenal may have to shift their attention to the centre-forward position to bolster their attack. But after splashing £63.5m on Viktor Gyokeres last season, it raises question marks over the future of the Swedish striker. Sign up for the Arsenal newsletter Thank you! Fans and pundits alike were left unconvinced by Gyokeres’ performances at times last season, leading to speculation that he could be moved on if Arsenal do sign a new striker. But with such a large outlay on a marquee player, Arsenal would have to seriously consider if trying to sell is worth the risk. Here, SunSport Arsenal reporters Simon Collings and Joshua Hall debate whether it is time for the Gunners to cut their losses on Gyokeres. Simon Collings – Sell and upgrade Finding a buyer for Gyokeres will not be easy. But if Arsenal can find a way to sell the Swede and upgrade, then they have to grab it. The striker had a solid debut season in North London, finishing as the Gunners top scorer. Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK And his performances around crunch time – especially in the Champions League semi-final triumph over Atletico Madrid – deserve a special mention. It is hard to shake the feeling, though, that Gyokeres is not the right fit for Mikel Arteta’s side. Some rusty performances in pre-season have done little to dispel that, especially when Arsenal are still in the market for a marquee forward. The expectation is that they will push for a left winger, however there must surely be a temptation to get a new No9 in. Arteta is a huge fan of Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez – and he looks readymade for this current team. Gyokeres is someone who thrives off open space, direct passes and the ability to hurt opponents on the counter. That is just not how Arsenal play, and nor is it how teams set up against them. The challenge is often trying to pick the lock of a deep defence. Pre-season rust or not, that has never been Gyokeres’ strength. It would suit Alvarez, though, and his technical quality would raise the level of the attack. He would also bring fluidity, too, as he can operate out left or even as second striker if needed. Arsenal are huge admirers of Julian Alvarez Credit: Getty Gyokeres undoubtedly served a purpose for Arsenal last season and helped them win the Premier League for the first time in 22 years. But if Arteta is being ruthless and wants to take this team to the next level, then the striker position is one area that can be upgraded. It would be a bold call after one season – but history has shown us Arteta is never worried about that. Joshua Hall – Keep and trust There is no denying that Gyokeres hasn’t quite lived up to the lofty expectations he arrived with last summer. But you can’t argue that he hasn’t done his job. The Swede finished the season as Arsenal’s top goalscorer and helped them win their first league title in 22 years. Question marks have arisen about his technical ability, but his goalscoring has remained undeniable – even if it hasn’t quite matched his form in Portugal. The latter part of last season showed that Gyokeres was starting to increase his technical level too. His performances against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final knitted together his brute force with cute interplay that helped the Gunners dismantle their opponents. Now, with 12 months under his belt, Gyokeres will only be a better player than he was when he arrived at the Emirates. Gyokeres was exceptional against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final Credit: Getty The Swede has been improving his technical game under Arteta Credit: Getty Arsenal invested £63.5m in Gyokeres and would struggle to recoup that if they tried to move him on, forcing him out the door seems counterproductive after that outlay. Arteta is keen to take his squad to a “different dimension” after their title success last season and a new attacker would undoubtedly help achieve that. But it doesn’t have to be in place of Gyokeres, it could instead complement him. Julian Alvarez is one name that has been discussed and the Atleti star would be a brilliant signing if Arsenal can pull it off. He is so vastly different from Gyokeres and would give Arteta another option to throw at opposition defences. But there is no need to push Gyokeres out to make space for the Argentine. Arsenal already seem likely to lose Gabriel Jesus this summer, with Napoli leading the race for his signature. And Kai Havertz has been operating predominantly as a midfielder during the Gunners’ pre-season preparations. Keeping Gyokeres around would mean Arsenal have two top quality strikers who can hurt the opposition in vastly different ways. Comment now