A shooting in Stockholm, the birthplace of Viktor Gyokeres, has been linked with the centre-forward’s summer move from Sporting CP to Arsenal this summer by Swedish police, who are reportedly investigating reports of a blackmail plot.
For years, fans of the Emirates Stadium outfit have been pleading with club higher-ups to go out and sign a reliable goalscorer – and over the summer, they managed to strike a deal for Gyokeres, widely regarded as one of world football’s best strikers.
The 26-year-old line-leader made his non-competitive debut for the Gunners during their pre-season tour and, to mark his first competitive outing for the capital club, he’s set to go up against his old manager, Ruben Amorim, at Old Trafford this weekend.
Gyokeres’ Summer Move to Arsenal Linked to Shooting in Sweden
Victor Gyokeres in action for Arsenal in pre season
Arsenal, who have finished second in the Premier League in back-to-back-to-back seasons, finally got their hands on their new striker earlier in the summer for an upfront fee of £54.8 million with £8.6 million in potential add-ons.
But his long and drawn-out summer transfer, according to Swedish newspaper ETC, is now being treated as a reason behind a recent shooting in the municipality of Huddinge, which is located in the striker’s homeland’s capital city, Stockholm.
Two shots were fired – but it’s been reported that nobody was hit, and the shooting is now being linked to an extortion plot in relation to his move to England’s top flight. The target, according to the report, was a relative of a football agent.
gyokeres sweden
Gyokeres, who scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for his former employers, is represented by the Hasan Cetinkaya Management agency – who also have Frenkie De Jong and Antonio Rudiger among their list of clientele. And as a result, they have taken a portion of his lofty transfer fee.
The aforementioned agent involved in the deal is believed to have posted an update on social media to confirm his involvement in Gyokeres’ switch from Portugal to England, which has subsequently led to blackmail attempts. Per GOAL, there was also talk of blackmail claims and broken promises to ensure the centre-forward got his long-awaited move.
The question on everybody’s lips is whether Gyokeres is the missing tonic to end Arsenal’s title drought? His alarming goalscoring rate would suggest that he can help Arteta and his entourage to reach the promised land, but it’s not that easy.
Albeit difficult to fathom, the numbers behind Gyokeres’ status in the footballing echo chamber – 54 strikes in all competitions last term – raise eyebrows over whether they are transferrable into a much tougher division, the Premier League. Time will tell whether he can be a success under Arteta.
His manager, however, possesses full confidence in his ability. “I think everything that he does… his movement, the way he times his runs, the way he predicts the next move, where the space can be and where the ball is going to land, that’s the instinct that he has," Arteta said, per TNT Sports. "That’s why he’s scored so many goals in the last few seasons, so that’s not a coincidence, it’s his ability, and he’s constantly looking for it.