Alan Shearer tells Arsenal players the one thing they must do to turn Viktor Gyokeres into a world-beater
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(Credit: Getty, Manh Tung - Breaking Media)
Alex Oakhill
Mon 15 September 2025 9:57, UK
Arsenal’s players and Mikel Arteta have been told how to turn Viktor Gyokeres into a world-beater by the Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer Alan Shearer.
Gyokeres completed his move to the Emirates from Sporting Lisbon over the summer, for a fee of around £64million.
The Swedish striker has hit the ground running in North London, scoring three goals in his opening four Premier League games for Arteta’s side.
However, Gyokeres is already two goals behind Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot, with the Norwegian grabbing a brace in the Manchester derby.
Credit: Imago
On Saturday (13 September), Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 at the Emirates, to move up to second in the Premier League table.
Martin Zubimendi scored a brace, either side of a Gyokeres tap-in, which came moments after the start of the second half.
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, former Newcastle United striker Shearer revealed what he spotted from the game, and how Arsenal can play to their new centre-forward’s strengths.
Credit: Imago
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He said: “The key to getting the best out of Gyokeres is early balls into the box.
It’s a fine balance because you’ve got Eze and Madueke, and part of their strength is going past players, but I also think sometimes you don’t have to do it.
“The early ball kills defenders as well, and that’s sometimes the brightest thing to do.
You saw yesterday (against Nottingham Forest), a first-time ball into the box from Eze, and a one-touch finish from Gyokeres.
That’s what I think he’s going to thrive on.”
Meanwhile, Arsenal have reportedly begun working behind the scenes to identify new transfer targets ahead of the January and summer windows in 2026.
That is according to former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown, who claims that Arteta is eyeing an overhaul of his squad depth.
One player who is facing the axe as part of the manager’s long-term plans is Leandro Trossard, despite still being regarded as an “important” player for the first team.
Trossard agreed to sign a new contract at the Emirates last month, but the deal did not extend his stay at the Emirates, with his terms set to expire in 2027.
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