Viktor Gyokeres sends message to Mikel Arteta over Arsenal role this season

Viktor Gyokeres says he expects to be playing ‘as much football as possible’ after starting the season out of favour at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta.

Signed last summer for £64million, Gyokeres scored 21 goals in his debut campaign in England but often found himself benched for Kai Havertz on the biggest stages – including the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.

Havertz has started all five of Arsenal’s Premier League games this term with the Sweden international limited to just 29 minutes of top flight playing time off the bench having also started games in the Champions League and Carabao Cup.

It comes after he was linked with a move away from north London in the summer, offered up to Atletico Madrid as part of Arsenal’s efforts to try and sign Julian Alvarez.

Gyokeres scored his first goal of the season for his country in a Nations League win over Romania on Friday night, tapping home from close range after an effort from Tottenham’s Lucas Bergvall was saved by the goalkeeper.

The 28-year-old is keen to keep the momentum going once the international break ends, telling fotbollskanalen: ‘It felt good (to score) and I felt good physically. I felt involved, so it was fun to be out there playing.

‘I haven’t played a lot, but I’ve had a few games. It’s felt okay then, but it’s clear that I want to play football and as much as possible. Hopefully that will come, too.  You always want to be on the field as a football player.’

‘Of course you expect more playing time, but we have an extremely good squad with a lot of good players and have been doing well here at the start,’ he continued.

‘I’m just trying to focus on what I can control and do my best to play more.’

Gyokeres acknowledged he ‘needs to do better’ and says there has been positive conversations between him and Mikel Arteta.

‘I obviously need to do better and I’m willing to do it, so it’s no problem,’ he said.

‘It’s good (the dialogue with the coach). I just try to do well when I get the chance and score goals.’

Gyokeres could have a chance to prove his worth in the starting XI with Havertz picking up an injury while on international duty with Germany.

Arsenal return to action on 10 October when they take on Leeds United.

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