Viktor Gyokeres has failed to live up to expectations at Arsenal following his £64m summer move from Sporting Lisbon and Joleon Lescott has scrutinised the decision to sign him
Viktor Gyokeres looks on during an Arsenal game
Joleon Lescott has questioned Arsenal's decision to go all in on Viktor Gyokeres(Image: Jacques Feeney/Offside)
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Joleon Lescott has questioned why Arsenal decided to buy Viktor Gyokeres ahead of other options such as Joao Pedro and Hugo Ekitike last summer amid the Sweden striker's uninspiring start to life in the Premier League.
It was well documented that a new No.9 was Arsenal's top priority ahead of the summer transfer window and Gyokeres, 27, emerged as the club's primary target ahead of Benjamin Sesko, who would go on to join Manchester United.
Gyokeres had taken his game to new heights in Portugal, where he was deadly in front of goal for Sporting Lisbon. But the former Coventry City man has struggled to replicate that form in the Premier League, scoring eight times in 25 games.
After blanking in another poor performance on Wednesday night in the 2-2 draw away at struggling Wolves, Lescott has scrutinised the decision to prioritise Gyokeres ahead of other targets - including Ekitike and Pedro, who have outscored the Arsenal man in the league.
“I thought Viktor Gyokeres was brought in to start for Arsenal,” Lescott told Sky Bet, referencing a run earlier in the season where he was not starting games.
“You’re not spending that amount of money, having identified that position, for him not to play. Surely, he’s been brought in to play in all the big games.
NAPLES, ITALY - JANUARY 28: Joao Pedro of Chelsea celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD8 match between SSC Napoli and Chelsea FC at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on January 28, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Lescott believes Joao Pedro would have been a better signing for Arsenal(Image: Darren Walsh, Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
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“They brought in Gyokeres because they thought he was the best of the available strikers.
“It’s easy to say now that Arsenal should have gone for Hugo Ekitike. Joao Pedro is another striker I don’t know why Arsenal didn’t buy.”
The two strikers Lescott mentioned have enjoyed stronger seasons than Gyokeres, with Pedro - who at £60m cost slightly less than Gyokeres - netting 10 times in the Premier League, as well as contributing four assists for Chelsea. A host of clubs were credited with an interest in the Brighton man before the Blues swooped, including Arsenal.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 31: (SUN OUT, SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Hugo Ekitike of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Anfield on January 31, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Hugo Ekitike is another new Premier League striker who has impressed this season(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
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Ekitike moved to Liverpool for £79m and also has 10 goals to his name even though Arne Slot's side have struggled in the league.
Goals aside, both have looked far more effective in games for their new club than Gyokeres, who has been heavily scrutinised in recent months despite Arsenal's title bid.
Dietmar Hamann said last month that he didn't feel Gyokeres was good enough for the Gunners, saying: “They brought Gyokeres in as the centre-forward but I don’t think he’s good enough. Whether that will be the deciding factor in the end I don’t know but at the moment, it certainly didn’t help Arsenal. We saw Gyokeres at a few clubs before Sporting and I’m just not sure whether he’s got the ability to play against the best defenders in Europe and in the Premier League.”
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