Smith predicts Gyokeres exit in January if Arsenal land new striker

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Viktor Gyokeres could be sold by Arsenal in January, but only if Mikel Arteta's side bring in a replacement first. That's the prediction from Arsenal legend Alan Smith, who believes the Swedish striker has slipped too far down the pecking order at the Emirates Stadium to stay content on the sidelines.

Gyokeres joined Arsenal from Sporting CP in a £63.5m deal last summer and scored 21 goals in all competitions during his debut campaign. This season has told a very different story, with the striker restricted to just three Premier League appearances, both from the bench, as Kai Havertz has established himself as Arteta's first-choice centre-forward.

Arsenal also explored a move for Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez during the summer transfer window as part of their search for attacking reinforcements, a sign that the club have already been weighing up their options up front.

Smith expects exit if replacement arrives

Speaking via BestBettingSites, Smith suggested that Gyokeres would not only be sold if Arsenal brought in another forward, but that he would likely welcome the move himself. “If they did get another top striker, I think he would be sold, and he'd probably want to go, because he'd then be dropped one more place down the pecking order,” Smith said. “So yeah, I think he would be sold, and there'd be plenty of clubs that would want him, I think.”

Smith did caution that finding a suitable replacement in the middle of the season would not be straightforward. “Whether Arsenal can get somebody in January, maybe a long shot. They'll probably be working on it now, but it's not easy, as we know, in January,” he added.

Premier League and Champions League on equal footing

Smith was also asked whether Arteta should prioritise the Champions League over the Premier League this season, having seen Arsenal end a 22-year wait for the title last term before losing the Champions League final to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties. “No, I don't think you can prioritise one over the other,” he said. “You don't want to be a one-season wonder, win the title and then you don't win it again for a few years. You want to have that consistency.”

He added that Arsenal's squad depth means both competitions can be targeted seriously. “So certainly you can put them both on the same level, because they've got such a strong squad, Arsenal,” Smith said, pointing to the run to last season's final as evidence it can be done.

Smith also touched on Manchester City being found guilty of all charges in their Premier League financial rules case during the international break, with City now appealing the verdict. “I think that Arsenal and all these teams will feel aggrieved,” he said, pointing to clubs who have “stayed within the rules” despite losing out on titles to City.

Gyokeres' situation looks set to remain a talking point between now and January, with his future likely to hinge on whether Arsenal move into the market for a new forward this winter.