Martin Keown has said Viktor Gyokeres is not the solution for Arsenal and believes the Sporting Lisbon striker is ‘not quick enough’ to succeed in North London.
Gyokeres has been linked with a move to Arsenal following his explosive output in Portuguese football.
The Sweden international has scored 69 goals in 74 appearances for the Primeira Liga champions and netted a Champions League hat-trick against Manchester City last month.
Gyokeres has prior experience of English football. He spent time on the books of Brighton before impressing at Coventry City to earn a €20m move to Lisbon.
Sporting are set to demand a fee in excess of €70m for the player, who has been named as one of Arsenal’s leading transfer targets. Manchester United have also been linked, following the appointment of ex-Sporting boss Ruben Amorin.
Arsenal have not scored from open play in three Premier League games, with leading scorers Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka on just five goals each. Mikel Arteta’s side were held to a goalless draw by Everton at the weekend.
Despite those issues around goal, former Arsenal defender Keown does not believe Gyokeres is the solution. He questioned whether the Swede had enough pace to replicate his goal record in the Premier League.
“The players who are there at the moment need to start scoring goals fast don’t they, otherwise Mikel will put his hands in his pocket and buy a forward,” Keown told the Oxford Mail.
On interest in Gyokeres, he added: “[Viktor Gyokeres] is not quick enough and he wouldn’t have been quick enough in my day.”
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