Paul Scholes claims Mikel Arteta was forced into signing Arsenal star | Football

Paul Scholes believes Mikel Arteta was pressured into signing Viktor Gyokeres because he was ‘last striker available’.

Gyokeres accomplished a £64m move to Arsenal last summer, signing a five-year contract with the Gunners.

The Sweden international had spent two sensational seasons at Sporting, scoring 97 goals in 102 appearances for the Portuguese side.

That prolific ratio is yet to be seen on the Emirates Stadium, nonetheless, with Gyokeres only scoring six goals in 19 games for Arsenal.

Gyokeres went nine games and not using a goal earlier within the campaign and has also failed to search out the back of the online in his last five appearances.

Manchester United legend Scholes doubts Gyokeres will ever be an ‘unbelievable goalscorer’ for Arsenal but insists he does offer so much because the ‘point of interest’ of the team.

‘Do you recognize what I take into consideration Gyokeres? I don’t think he’s ever going to be an unbelievable goalscorer but I believe the remainder of the team will like fidgeting with him,’ Scholes said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast.

‘He’s a point of interest and works his b****** off.’

Scholes’ former United and England teammate Nicky Butt added: ‘He’s gone right into a team at Arsenal that’s never had a centre forward, they didn’t play with a correct striker last season.

‘It won’t be Gyokeres fault this, it could be the opposite players not knowing where he’s.

‘It’s tough for a player to enter a team that isn’t used to fidgeting with a centre forward. But he’s a point of interest to get them up the pitch.

‘It needed to be perfect for Arsenal to get into the ultimate third last season, it needed to be intricate to rise up the pitch they usually did it well to be fair.

‘But with him he holds the ball up well they usually rise up the pitch.’

Given Scholes and Butt don’t view Gyokeres as a striker who’s going to be prolific within the Premier League, they were asked why Arteta decided to sign the forward.

Arteta was in desperate need of a striker for well over a yr, with Kai Havertz often performing that role in his side and central midfielder Mikel Merino being forced to fill in during last season’s injury crisis.

The likes of Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Benjamin Sesko and Nick Woltemade were all on the move last summer but Arsenal focused on Gyokeres, beating Premier League rivals Manchester United to a deal.

Asked about Arteta’s motivations for signing Gyokeres, Butt said: ‘It’s the pressure. The pressure to purchase a centre forward.

‘The pressure to purchase a striker at a club who keep nearly winning the title is huge.’

Scholes, who played with legendary strikers Wayne Rooney, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Eric Cantona and Andy Cole, added: ‘I believe Gyokeres was the last one available as well.’

Gyokeres’ frustrating begin to life at Arsenal continued on Saturday as he did not rating against bottom-placed Wolves before being subbed off late on.

The 27-year-old will look to finish his mini goal drought this weekend when Arsenal visit Everton.

Whether Gyokeres even retains his place within the team is one other query, nonetheless, with Gabriel Jesus now back from injury and Havertz closing in on a long-awaited return.

Neither Jesus or Havertz have been prolific goalscorers for Arsenal however it has been suggested that Arteta will rely heavily on each given Gyokeres’ underwhelming form.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the newest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

MORE: Michael Owen makes shock Liverpool claim and warns Arsenal and Man City

MORE: Ruben Amorim shuts down transfer query as ‘awful’ stat emerges from Man Utd draw

MORE: ‘Got to be stronger’ – Gary Neville blasts Man Utd star after Antoine Semenyo goal