Viktor Gyökeres has been a great signing for Football Manager players over the last few years, thanks to his impressive rise in world football. The 25-year-old has reasonable stats on FM 24, but some players would suggest that his real-world performances outshine his game credentials.
This could be set to change on FM 25, though, as there are reports that the player is on Arsenal’s watchlist. If Gyökeres gets a move to a top Premier League side, his star could be set to rise massively within Football Manager.
Gyökeres Reportedly on Arsenal’s Striker Shortlist
In the 2023-24 season, Arsenal managed an impressive feat in becoming one of the highest-scoring teams in Premier League history without an out-and-out striker. After 30 games played, the Gunners were 5/2 in the Premier League winner odds and boasted the better goal difference of all three title contenders. This is impressive, seeing as Mikel Arteta has typically operated with a false 9 rather than a prolific hitman in front of goal throughout the campaign.
Despite this feat, it’s clear that Arsenal need to strengthen in attack and could go for a more traditional striker in the summer transfer window. Reports suggest that Ivan Toney is the top transfer target, but Brentford have stuck an £80 million price tag on the Englishman. If this puts Arsenal off, they could find better value by going for a player like Gyökeres. The Sporting CP star is likely to come at a much cheaper price tag and could have a higher ceiling than Toney in terms of his career trajectory.
Gyökeres signed for the Portuguese club at the start of the 2023 season and bagged 22 goals in his first 25 league games. While at Coventry City between 2021 and 2023, the Swede put away 38 goals in 91 appearances, highlighting his prolific nature.
Gyökeres Has Many Excellent FM Attributes
FM managers have found Gyökeres to be an excellent addition to their forward lines over the past few titles. He has a driven personality within the game, underlining his high level of determination and work rate. In FM 24, his finishing and dribbling skills are rated at 16 and 15 respectively, with an equally impressive first touch of 14.
In terms of deadliness in front of goal, Gyökeres still has some way to go to reach the best in the business. Harry Kane, for instance, has a rating of 19 for finishing in FM 24, with 15 for both heading and long shots as well. Perhaps if Gyökeres gets a move to Arsenal, he’ll take his game to the next level and force the game creators to rethink his stats in upcoming editions of Football Manager.
Football Manager is generally good at getting the stats and potential of its players right, but Gyökeres is one striker that may be undervalued in the current game. If he manages to get his dream move to Arsenal where he can challenge for titles, his stats in Football Manager could get boosted massively.
