4 big chances missed, 2/8 duels won, 12x possession lost: Arsenal & Edu proved right as £84m star struggles on int’l duty – opinion | OneFootball

Arsenal target Viktor Gyokeres had a forgettable outing during Sweden’s Nations League draw against Slovakia on the road on Friday night.

The 26-year-old had a fantastic start to the campaign with 14 goals and five assists from his first 10 games for club and country.

However, he has struggled to replicate the showing over the past four outings with just one goal which came from the penalty spot.

We recently highlighted Gyokeres’ struggles against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.

The Swede failed to register a single shot on and off target. He made just 14 successful passes, losing possession on 16 occasions.

Gyokeres had another difficult outing in Slovakia yesterday where he was guilty of missing four big chances over 90 minutes.

He won just two out of eight duels in the game, losing possession 12 times. He failed to complete any of his three dribbles attempted.

The former Coventry City striker has been linked with some of Europe’s elite clubs and Arsenal were one of those said to be interested.

The Gunners eventually informed Sporting that they were not prepared to pay his £84 million release clause before the deadline.

Sporting director Edu Gaspar’s decision to steer clear of Gyokeres looks to be a shrewd one based on his recent away performances.

Gyokeres now has the pressure of expectations after a sensational debut season with 43 goals and 15 assists in all competitions.

He is most likely to be judged by how he performs in the Champions League particularly against better opposition on the road.

As things stand, Arsenal and Edu have been proved right with their summer decision on Gyokeres.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com