Emmanuel Adebayor has called on Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres so as to add more ‘technical ability’ to his game after a mixed first season within the Premier League.
Gyokeres has at times flattered to deceive since his £64m move from Sporting last summer, scoring just five Premier League goals within the first-half of the season.
However the Sweden international has improved his output for the reason that recent 12 months, netting 14 goals in all competitions to assist Arsenal lead the Premier League title race and reach the Champions League final.
Gyokeres produced one among his best performances in an Arsenal shirt in Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final win over Atletico Madrid, with England legend Alan Shearer describing his display as ‘exceptional’.
Mikel Arteta also singled out his summer signing for praise, calling him ‘immense’ after he bullied the Atletico defenders and played an element in Bukayo Saka’s winning goal.
Adebayor appreciates lots of Gyokeres’ attributes and insists he’s ‘recovering’ as he looks to change into Arsenal’s long-term No. 9.
But Adebayor, who scored 62 goals in 142 games for Arsenal, admits he wants Gyokeres to bring more ‘technical ability’ to his game, saying that might be a ‘good advantage’ to the team.
‘Listen, I feel he’s a great player,’ Adebayor said on talkSPORT. ‘He’s a great striker and a giant lad who can control the ball quite well.
‘The primary time I saw him play live was the north London derby against Tottenham and I form of liked the way in which he played because he’s strong and able to fight.
‘But I feel playing as a striker and for a club like Arsenal you’ve gotten so as to add a bit little bit of technical ability to your game.
‘Overall he’s been good and he’s scored goals, but when he can work on his first touch and his turning that might definitely be a great advantage for the club.
‘But overall he’s recovering and getting used to the Premier League, so he’s doing well.’
Gyokeres helped Arteta’s side reach their first Champions League final since 2006 just days after scoring a brace in a crucial 3-0 win over Fulham on the weekend.
That victory – and Manchester City’s thrilling 3-3 draw at Everton – means Arsenal are five points clear at the highest of the Premier League heading into the ultimate few weeks of the season.
Adebayor, who played for each clubs, says he ‘would really like’ Arsenal to change into Premier League champions for the primary time in 22 years but is backing Man City to shut the gap.
‘For those who ask me today, I’ll still inform you I feel Man City will win it,’ Adebayor added. ‘But I would really like Arsenal to win it.
‘They were fighting for it even once I was there. This 12 months, they’re doing quite well. The nice thing is defensively, they’re superb. But now, they must win the last three games to win the league.
‘Man City dropping points against Everton, they are going to come back stronger. They are going to manage with their manager, the superb team they’ve, they are going to do the whole lot possible to win the last three games and wait for Arsenal to drop points so that they could be champions.
‘But trust me, it is just not going to be a simple task for each of them. For the primary time, I wish Arsenal wins it because they’ve been working towards this for thus long.’
Arsenal face relegation-threatened London rivals West Ham on Sunday after title rivals Man City play host to Brentford.
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