Former Arsenal forward Alan Smith has said that the Gunners could drop Viktor Gyokeres for Kai Havertz.
Mikel Arteta will be hoping that summer signing Viktor Gyokeres can finally build a string of good games together as the Swedish international has really struggled to score on a regular basis like he did last season for Sporting CP.
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Last year, Gyokeres netted 54 goals in 52 games in Portugal in what was a historic season for the Swedish striker. All the talk about Arsenal was they needed a number nine in the summer, so they spent £55m on Gyokeres in the summer.
Since then, he has scored just five goals in 18 Premier League games, and is under threat from Gabriel Jesus for his starting striker spot.
Alan Smith says Gyokeres will drop out
Amid the poor form of Gyokeres, and the threat of not only Gabriel Jesus, but the returning Kai Havertz, former Arsenal forward Alan Smith thinks Gyokeres will drop out of Arteta’s team.
Smith told GoonerNews exclusively via BestBettingSites.co.uk: “The way Gyökeres is playing, he’s tried to stick with him, Arteta, because he’s spent a lot of money, and he wants him to succeed. He doesn’t have to succeed because people like Havertz are there; Jesus can come in. But when Havertz is up and running, that’s an option.
“If Gyökeres keeps playing how he is. He’ll drop out of the side because he’s struggling. He really is. So, it’ll be good to have that kind of option when he does come back.”
When will Havertz play for Arsenal?
Havertz has been dealing with a long-term knee injury that he suffered in August, and he is yet to return for Arsenal, despite him no longer appearing on the injury list.
Mikel Arteta provided an update on Havertz in his pre-match press conference before the Liverpool match. He said: “We are monitoring obviously his load, he has been out for a long time for two different reasons and he is very close.
“He trained this morning again and hopefully we are going to have him available in the best version of Kai Havertz.”
Click here to see Arsenal’s latest injury news.