Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal’s new wonderkid, has smashed the clubs shirt sales record since his move from Sporting Lisbon was confirmed.
The Swede was officially announced as an Arsenal player on Saturday in a deal worth £70million, following weeks of frantic negotiations with his former club.
It has been revealed that the Gunners new frontman will wear the iconic No 14 shirt, previously worn by club legend, Thierry Henry. The news has since sent fans of the club into frenzy.
To mark his much-anticipated arrival, Arsenal offered to print Gyokeres’ name and number on next season’s shirts for free, a service which would usually cost £16.
And the promotional move has been met by a wave of enthusiasm, with Arsenal fans flocking to the club store and website to get their free Gyokeres jerseys before the deadline on Thursday.
The huge wave of fans clambering to secure their shirt even caused the official Arsenal website to crash, with early figures suggesting that ‘No 14 Gyokeres’ sales have eclipsed those of any signing in recent history.
The staggering figures will only grow before the promotional offer comes to an end tomorrow, with thousands more fans likely to take advantage of the rare freebie.
Before Gyokeres’ signing, fan-favourites Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard had been the most popular names on supporters’ jerseys.
Arsenal’s longing for a proper striker to the lead the line at The Emirates has been well discussed, with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus struggling to fulfill such a role.
It’s hoped that the Gunners have finally found their man, with Gyokeres making the move to north London after firing home a staggering 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting Lisbon.
His form made him one of, if not the most in-demand striker in Europe, with Arsenal fending off competition from Manchester United for the powerful attacker’s signature.
Manager Mikel Arteta said on Saturday: ‘We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Viktor Gyokeres to the club. The consistency he has shown in his performances and availability have been outstanding, and his goal contributions speak for themselves.
Viktor has so many qualities. He is a quick and powerful presence up front, with incredible goalscoring numbers at club and international levels.
‘He brings a clinical edge with a high conversion rate of chances into goals, with his intelligent movement in the box making him a constant threat.
‘We’re excited about what Viktor brings to our squad and are looking forward to start working with him. We welcome Viktor and his family to Arsenal.’ he stated.
Mikel Arteta’s men face Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow, before taking on Villareal next Wednesday.
They begin their league campaign at Old Trafford against Manchester United on August 17
