Petit claims Arsenal sent Gyokeres a message that he's 'not welcome anymore'
Emmanuel Petit believes Arsenal have already sent Viktor Gyokeres a message about his long term future at the club, suggesting the striker is 'not welcome anymore' at the Emirates.
Gyokeres joined Arsenal from Sporting Lisbon for around £64m in the summer of 2025, arriving with a reputation built on 97 goals in 102 appearances in Portugal. The move was seen as Arsenal finally solving a long standing striker problem.
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The Swede scored 21 goals in all competitions during his first season in north London, but struggled against stronger opposition and has since fallen behind Kai Havertz in Mikel Arteta's pecking order this term. Speculation over his Arsenal future has grown as a result.
Petit's verdict on Gyokeres
Speaking to Betfred, Petit explained why he feels the forward is no longer a priority for Arteta.
“He's not the priority in the pecking order,” Petit said. “I think he's lost confidence and you can see that. He's not the only one actually; Eberechi Eze for example against Forest looked nervous. They're all competing to earn their place in the first team and the competition is high when you consider the quality they have in the squad.”
Petit went further, pointing to Arsenal's transfer business as evidence of where Gyokeres stands at the club.
“Gyokeres knows that he's not the first priority and it will be difficult for him to play in some very important matches,” Petit continued. “We can see that he's lost confidence and we don't know what his future will be at Arsenal and the club looked at strikers in the transfer market and for me, that was a clear message to Gyokeres that he's not welcome anymore.”
Cisse points to adaptation struggles
Former Premier League forward Djibril Cisse offered a different explanation for Gyokeres' indifferent form, telling Mr Gamble that adapting from Portuguese football to the Premier League's physicality was always going to be a challenge.
“He was in Portugal dominating the league,” Cisse said. “You arrive in a more physical league with far more intensity, and you have to adapt to that. It can take a year or two. He has to keep working.”
Cisse also noted the technical demands of Arteta's system. “Arsenal are a team that play football, and when you're not at the level technically, it shows, because everyone is very, very technical, just like their coach. But he's also someone who has scored goals. You can't forget that he's a goalscorer. A goalscorer never loses it. It disappears sometimes but it comes back.”
With Havertz currently preferred and questions growing over Gyokeres' role, his situation at Arsenal looks set to remain a talking point in the coming months.
