And just like that, Viktor Gyokeres has lift off at Arsenal.
After a short cameo against Tottenham Hotspur in Hong Kong and then an underwhelming 60 minutes against Villarreal, the Swedish striker opened his account at the Emirates with a brilliant header on Saturday evening.
It was the perfect way to stop some of the incredibly premature talk around his suitability for Mikel Arteta’s side and should be enough to see him start against Manchester United this Sunday.
Moreover, if reports are to be believed, it looks like Arsenal could be targeting another attacking star, someone who could help get even more out of the former Sporting CP star.
Arsenal target perfect teammate for Gyokeres
With those two losses now firmly out of mind, it wouldn’t be hyperbolic to say that this summer has been one of Arsenal’s best for quite some time, and that is almost entirely thanks to the business conducted by Andrea Berta and his team.
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For example, on top of bringing in first-team level game-changers like Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi, the Italian Sporting Director has massively bolstered the depth of the squad with signings like Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera.
However, even with six new faces through the door already, the Gunners aren’t done and now appear keen on signing a dynamic attacker who could be a perfect teammate for Gyokeres.
At least that is according to a recent report, which claims Arsenal are very interested in Malick Fofana, who has also caught the interest of Liverpool.
More than that, the report has revealed that the North Londoners have already held talks with Lyon over the talented winger they value at £43m.
It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, made more so by Arne Slot’s side, but Fofana was brilliant last year and could help get even more out of Gyokeres this season.
Why Fofana would be perfect for Gyokeres
Now, while there were certainly moments in the game on Saturday when Gyokeres was dropping deeper to help in the build-up and to move Bilbao’s backline around, it’s clear he’s most comfortable playing in and around the penalty area.
That’s the area he thrived in over the last two years, and it’s no surprise that almost all of his shots last season came in and around the area.
Therefore, to ensure they are getting the absolute best out of the Swede this season, Arsenal need to start players alongside him who are excellent at getting the ball into dangerous areas, either through passing or carrying the ball.
The good news is that Fofana is utterly brilliant at the latter, as evidenced by FBref, which ranks him in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries, the top 6% for carries into the final third, the top 9% for progressive carrying distance and more, all per 90.
In other words, the young “game-changing” prospect, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is elite at bringing the ball up the pitch and into goalscoring areas, which should make him an ideal partner for the Gunners’ new number 14.
Appearances
41
Starts
23
Minutes
2280′
Goals
11
Assists
6
Goal Involvements per Match
0.41
Minutes per Goal Involvement
134.11′
Moreover, he’s not just a facilitator, as the 20-year-old dynamo, who Mango claims is blessed with “frightening speed & acceleration,” was able to score 11 goals and provide six assists in 41 appearances, totalling 2280 minutes, last season.
That means the in-demand talent maintained an average of a goal involvement every 2.41 games, or every 134.11 minutes.
Ultimately, Fofana looks ready to explode in the coming seasons, and while he’d be a great signing in his own right, the idea of him playing alongside Gyokeres is particularly exciting, and therefore, Arsenal should be doing all they can to make that a reality.