Arsenal have just unlocked a secret Viktor Gyokeres transfer benefit for Mikel Arteta

Viktor Gyokeres might not score 25 Premier League goals for Arsenal next season, and that's fine. He may not hit 20. That would also be okay.

For a guy who has scored something like one million times in the past two years for Sporting CP and Sweden, and who provides very little in terms of build-up or link-up, this will sound strange. After all, Gyokeres is the proven, readymade striker that Arsenal have been after.

All these summers asking for a focal point, a finisher, and someone to simply score goals (smashing the ball really hard is an added benefit) and here we are saying that actually, he doesn't even need to do that to be worthwhile. But there is logic to this.

In Gyokeres, Arsenal now have something that they have been missing for years, and it's not just his goals. They have genuine backup, competition, and cover for the position as a whole.

Eddie Nketiah was not rated as being adequate behind Gabriel Jesus, really, by Mikel Arteta. He wasn't deemed suitable enough to play second fiddle to Havertz, either. Jesus himself has struggled to get on the pitch to support Havertz much over the past 18 months.

What this leaves is absolutely no depth. Arsenal have been Havertz or bust at No.9 since the start of 2024. That is an incredible load to carry, even if Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard have done their utmost to share the burden.

The form of Gabriel Martinelli more recently has added to some of the concern in the frontline. Gyokeres does not solve this, but he does provide another option for Arteta.

When Havertz has not played for Arsenal, they have been left without a natural No.9. That is not the foundation that a title-winning team is built upon.

Gyokeres, if nothing else, will mean that Arsenal can turn to a true centre forward much more consistently. Last season, for example, Kai Havertz played 1,900 minutes out of a possible 3,400. Most of those were as a striker, which leaves over 50% to be played by someone else.

From January, there was no Jesus to call on. Mikel Merino, Leandro Trossard, Martinelli, and even Ethan Nwaneri were used at points. It is almost impossible to compete at the very top with these such names playing more than half of the available minutes up front.

Behind Havertz, or just alongside him, there was nothing reliable to turn to. Jesus' 600 league minutes still leave Arsenal 1,000 short across the season. That needed to be filled by someone whose natural position is not at striker.

So, whether Gyokeres is starting, coming off the bench, scoring, or not, he will be allowing Arteta to better make use of his available striker minutes. Add in his undoubted quality, and Arsenal are onto a winner.

They have two different profiles of striker, one of whom can also play deeper when needed. If both can stay fit then Arsenal will be maximising their striker output and keeping them fit as well. You cannot quantify this in terms of goals, but it must be factored into how he is judged, because it will make Arsenal are much more well-rounded team, regardless of output.

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