And he has confirmed that Ben White probably doesn’t like football apart from his own career.
Ben Barclay played alongside both Gyokeres and White for what was then the Seagulls’ under-23s.
Both are now full internationals with the table-topping Gunners and will face their old club on Wednesday or over Christmas, when the sides meet again in the Premier League in North London.
Barclay, who is now back at Albion under-21s as an over-age player, said: “Viktor was somebody who was really good at our level.
“Powerful, a bit of an animal, and had one of the best work ethics I've ever seen, ever worked alongside.
“He wanted to improve every day, whether that's in the gym inside the building or out on the grass.
“He has gone on and done really well in the last few years at Lisbon and Coventry to get his move to Arsenal, which he deserves.
“He had great ability with us. Funnily enough, he actually ended up playing quiet a lot of his football wide on the left because of the personnel we had in our under-21 team at the time with Aaron Connolly.
“But I think credit to his work ethic and his dedication to the game that it doesn't surprise me that he's got to where he's got to.”
White and Barclay were fellow defenders with the latter more often used at centre-back than right-back.
Barclay said: “I played with Ben from being scholars, me and him. We lived together in digs for a period.
“I played a few years together in the 21s, had a good relationship and he is easily one of the best players I've ever played alongside.
“There's no doubt I ever had in my mind that he would make it to the top and represent the country.
“I played alongside Ben at centre back and the biggest thing I'd say about him was, other than his ability and his determination to never lose, nothing fazed him.
“Every step up and every level he went to, nothing ever fazed him.
“Whether it was going up to the 21s from the 18s, to the first team here, on his first loan, to England, to Arsenal, he just not breezed it but just took it in his stride and always delivered.”
Asked whether White is indifferent to football in general, Barclay said: “I think it's true, yes. I think he has no interest in it other than his own his own career, which he is dedicated to 100%.
“I lived with him for a bit and he never supported a team.
“We would occasionally watch maybe like a big Champions League game but he wouldn't tune in a Saturday and watch any of the teams.”