'Heavy' Viktor Gyokeres told he must get lighter and what will take him time at Arsenal

Viktor Gyokeres has been sent a message about his fitness as well as advised why it will "take time" to get on the same wavelength as his Arsenal team-mates

Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres has been told to "get lighter" in order to boost his and the Gunners' chances of success this season. Gyokeres completed a move to north London during the summer transfer window in a deal worth £63.7million.

The Sweden international is currently on the sidelines with a muscle injury that has forced him to miss the last two matches for Arsenal.

The injury has also prevented Gyokeres from featuring for Sweden during the international break this month. The Arsenal striker was left out by new manager Graham Potter as the Gunners star targets a return to Mikel Arteta's squad in the near future.

Since signing for Arsenal in the summer from Sporting CP, Gyokeres has scored six goals, four of which have come in the Premier League.

Gyokeres has received praise from former Arsenal and Sweden star Stefan Schwarz, but the 56-year-old went on to explain why he believes the striker needs to work on his fitness.

“He's [Gyokeres] in a strong team. Arsenal has been fighting for the big titles, so maybe he can help the team to take this big step," Schwarz said in an interview with Hajper. "But, of course, everyone is a piece of the jigsaw puzzle.

“So everyone is important, but of course, he has a big presence. He's a strong, physical guy, and a good finisher with both feet.

“However, he needs to get his fitness up. I think he's in the right team with Mikel Arteta and the players around him. It's a fantastic squad.

“The quality shown by the players on the bench and the options that Arsenal have means that Gyokeres won't play all the games because I think they have a lot of good options to make tactical decisions from time to time based on the opponent or the result during the games.”

Schwarz added: “Sometimes the dog who barks loudest is not always the strongest. I think it's just the players in the Premier League. They are more powerful players, faster players.

“The strikers will always be counted on for the goals that they are scoring."

On the striker's condition ahead of Arsenal's clash with Tottenham on Sunday, Schwarz said: "Hopefully, he'll start to create and score goals, have a good run, get that real boost, and get a bit lighter because he's a heavy player. I think that would help.

“He didn't have a proper pre-season, and you need to play the games. You have those six weeks to interact with your colleagues, to understand the movement. When the midfielder makes the pass, you just have to look in their eyes, you know where they'll pass it.

“That's a relationship that takes a bit of time, and football is about fine margins. Look at Dennis Bergkamp, he was the best at that.

“He will learn and score a lot of goals, and that will benefit Arsenal.”