In the high-stakes world of Premier League football, Arsenal’s trajectory under Mikel Arteta continues to provoke debate among supporters and pundits alike. As the North London club enters its sixth year without major silverware (discounting the Community Shield), the pressure mounts on the Spanish tactician to deliver tangible success. Recent developments suggest that Arsenal’s newly appointed sporting director Andrea Berta is wasting no time in his efforts to bolster the squad, with Sporting CP’s prolific striker Viktor Gyokeres emerging as the priority target in what could become a statement signing for the Gunners.
The last time Arsenal lifted a major trophy was during the pandemic-affected 2019-2020 season when Arteta guided his team to FA Cup glory, defeating Chelsea in a behind-closed-doors final at Wembley. That triumph, coming mere months into Arteta’s tenure, seemed to herald a new dawn for a club that had struggled to maintain its elite status following Arsène Wenger’s departure.
Five years on, that FA Cup victory stands as an isolated success. While the Community Shield triumph against Manchester City provided some consolation, the absence of Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, or domestic cup success has become increasingly conspicuous for a club of Arsenal’s stature and ambition.
What makes this drought particularly frustrating for Arsenal supporters is how agonizingly close they’ve come to Premier League glory in recent campaigns. Last season, the Gunners accumulated an impressive 89 points—a tally that would have secured the title in many previous Premier League seasons—only to be pipped at the post by Pep Guardiola’s relentless Manchester City machine. This season, despite Liverpool claiming the title, Arsenal once again demonstrated their credentials as genuine contenders.
The club’s run to the Champions League semi-finals further underscored their progress under Arteta, suggesting that Arsenal now deservedly belongs among Europe’s elite once more. Yet without trophies to validate this evolution, questions inevitably arise about whether the final, crucial step can be taken under the current management.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Arsenal’s current situation is the apparent lack of pressure on Arteta despite the trophy drought. As Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville observed: “It’s a great achievement, in 2025, to not win a trophy for five years and still be the manager at a top club that isn’t under pressure—from us, from anybody in the football community or even anyone in the Arsenal fanbase.”
Neville further noted that this level of patience is increasingly rare in modern football, where managerial tenures are often measured in months rather than years. “That’s an incredible achievement because we thought those days were gone whereby you can have this type of patience being afforded to you. I think it’s a good thing: normally with five years without a trophy you’d ordinarily see a manager be under pressure.”
This patience stems largely from the visible progress Arsenal has made under Arteta’s stewardship. From the tactical sophistication evident in their play to their improved competitiveness against elite opposition, the team has undeniably evolved since his appointment. The club’s hierarchy appears to value this progressive trajectory, even in the absence of silverware.
The question remains, however: how long can this patience endure without tangible success? Even the most supportive of boardrooms must eventually demand trophies, especially given the significant financial backing Arteta has received.
Since Arteta’s appointment, Arsenal’s transfer activity has been nothing short of transformative. The club has consistently provided substantial funds for squad reinforcement across multiple windows:
– 2020-21 season: £82.4 million (including summer and winter windows)
– 2021-22 season: £158.6 million (including summer and winter windows)
– 2022-23 season: £180.5 million (including summer and winter windows)
– 2023-24 season: £208 million (summer window only)
– 2024-25 season: £101.5 million (summer window only)
This represents a total investment exceeding £730 million across Arteta’s tenure—a figure that places Arsenal among the highest-spending clubs in Europe during this period. Such financial commitment demonstrates the club’s faith in Arteta’s vision and their determination to reestablish themselves at football’s summit.
The strategic nature of this spending has been evident in the targeted acquisition of players who fit Arteta’s playing philosophy. From the defensive solidity provided by Gabriel and William Saliba to the creative spark of Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz, Arsenal’s recruitment has largely been successful in addressing specific team requirements.
However, one area where the Gunners have arguably failed to find a definitive solution is in the striking department. Despite rotating through options including Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabriel Jesus, and Eddie Nketiah, Arsenal have lacked the clinical, 25+ goals-per-season striker that often separates challengers from champions.
This brings us to the current pursuit of Viktor Gyokeres—a potential solution to Arsenal’s final missing piece.
In what could become the defining transfer of Arsenal’s summer, the club is reportedly in “advanced” talks to secure the signature of Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, who has established himself as one of Europe’s most prolific forwards. The Swedish international enjoyed a phenomenal 2023-24 season, netting an extraordinary 50 goals across all competitions for the Portuguese champions.
According to recent reports, Arsenal appear to be leading the race for Gyokeres despite interest from Premier League rivals Liverpool and Manchester United. The Gunners are supposedly closing in on a five-year deal for the striker, with personal terms worth approximately £9 million per year (around £173,000 per week) already being discussed—a significant investment that reflects the player’s status and Arsenal’s determination to secure his services.
Gyokeres’ journey to this point makes his potential signing all the more intriguing. Having previously played in English football with Coventry City in the Championship, the striker’s development since moving to Portugal has been remarkable. His combination of physical presence, technical ability, and ruthless finishing has transformed him from a promising talent into one of Europe’s most sought-after forwards.
