Mikel Arteta told Arsenal have already signed their own Ruud van Nistelrooy

Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres has been compared to former Manchester United goalscorer Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The Sweden international made the move to north London from Sporting CP in a deal worth £63.5million in the summer. After scoring 97 goals in 102 games for the Portuguese side, Gyokeres was brought to Emirates Stadium to try and propel the Gunners to Premier League glory.

The 27-year-old has had a decent start to life in the capital and has scored three goals in nine appearances this season. He has not scored in five games, though, but is being backed to return to scoring ways soon.

Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen has claimed Gyokeres reminds him of Van Nistelrooy, who was a clinical finisher himself. Speaking to football betting site BetVictor, Meulensteen said: “Viktor Gyokeres is physical and direct, it’s good for him to get on the scoresheet again.

“He quickly established himself at Sporting after leaving Brighton, and it's good that he's now doing that at Arsenal, a club playing attacking football. He should get plenty of opportunities and needs to convert them.

“Ruud van Nistelrooy was an out-and-out goal machine, living only to score goals if given service. In that respect, I can see similarities in Gyokeres. However, is he as ruthlessly goal-scoring as Ruud was? Those are big shoes to fill, as that was Ruud's biggest quality, and Gyokeres still has to prove that.

“But he's off to a good start with a few goals. We'll see how he looks in six months, he might get on a run and score every week, who knows?”

Gyokeres hit the post against Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday night and Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was delighted with the striker's performance. The Swede will likely once again start at the weekend when the Gunners welcome West Ham to Emirates Stadium.

“He had an incredible performance,” Arteta said. “As you said, apart from the goal, I think he did the rest of the things you ask for from a striker.

"The way he's linking with his teammates, the way he's opening spaces, the way he's threatening constantly the back line. He had three or four big situations where he could have scored a goal, so it will come.”

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