Portuguese newspaper A Bola on Monday ran a sharp column on Viktor Gyökeres Premier League debut for Arsenal, under the headline [‘This is the Premier League, Gyökeres’](https://www.abola.pt/noticias/isto-e-a-premier-league-gyokeres-2025081719073737220).
Local journalist Francisco Vaz de Miranda stressed that the night at Old Trafford was _“to forget,”_ and underlined that the physical power which made him _“something paranormal in Portugal”_ would not be enough in the Premier League.
The piece recalled how Gyökeres scored _“97 goals in 102 games,”_ which turned him into _“a true super-hero at Alvalade, carrying Sporting on his back to the championship.”_ But the columnist warned that _“in England it will be another song,”_ because the athletic level of defenders in the Premier League is _“incomparable to the Portuguese reality.”_
On the Arsenal debut itself, Miranda were blunt: _“Gyökeres did not enchant: very little, non-existent.”_ They described him as _“completely out of place in a team with very different principles of play to Sporting,”_ where _“the collective played almost in exclusivity for him.”_ The column also stressed he looked _“without rhythm and heavy,”_ after spending a chunk of the summer out of team training.
The big chance of the night only reinforced that impression. _“At 52 minutes he received space on the left to do what he likes most… but the ball escaped, he lost it and ended up committing a foul, to the great delight of Manchester United fans.”_
Minutes later, Mikel Arteta substituted him, with Record remarking that _“it was not for this version of Gyökeres that the Gunners made an investment that can reach €76m.”_
In contrast, Ruben Amorim was seen as the happier coach. Miranda highlighted that _“his team looked more like him: aggressive and more incisive up front,”_ with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha showing quality.
The Portuguese verdict was unambiguous: _Gyökeres_ super-human status in Lisbon will not count for much in England, where every step _“will be scrutinised to the millimetre.”_