Thierry Henry's 'unfair' Viktor Gyokeres verdict as he tells Arsenal fans straight

Thierry Henry has called for patience from Arsenal supporters with new signing Viktor Gyokeres.

The forward made his move to the Emirates Stadium this summer from Sporting Lisbon in a deal potentially worth £63.5million. Despite high expectations from Gunners fans, given his impressive performances in Liga Portugal, Henry has cautioned that the 27-year-old may require some time to gel with his new squad.

Speaking to Betway Insider, the Arsenal legend said: "It's always unfair because when I talk about a striker, it brings an unnecessary pressure, sometimes, because whenever I say something it goes above and beyond. What I would say about Gyokeres is that you saw his goal against Athletic Club the other day.

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"That instinct and understanding to anticipate the cross, a great header with soft touch to guide it to the other side of the goal - he is a proper No. 9. That's the goal of a nine.

"He is not a [Roberto] Firmino type of nine that's going to drop into midfield. He wants to be in the box, in between the posts, and he said it himself - please put the ball in the box and serve me.

"You have a guy that's a killer in the box - numbers don't lie - and you have a team that create a lot of chances, so it should be the perfect match, but you have to also understand that sometimes it doesn't click straight away.

"What you want is people to be patient with him, and what is annoying right now is that people are not that patient anymore. They want the guy to perform straight away, score goals straight away and make us win straight away, which doesn't happen often."

Following his arrival in north London last month, Gyokeres has already made his mark in pre-season, finding the net for the first time in Arsenal colours during a 3-0 win over Athletic Club in the Emirates Cup.

Supporters will be eager to witness what the Swedish forward can deliver firsthand, particularly given his remarkable record with Sporting last campaign, where he bagged 54 goals in all competitions whilst helping secure a league title and Taca de Portugal double.

Having previously experienced English football, Gyokeres' most recent spell in the UK saw him turn out for Coventry City in the Championship from 2021 to 2023, where he registered 43 goals and 17 assists before his switch to Sporting.

Nevertheless, having never featured in the Premier League, doubts remain over whether the striker can handle the most demanding challenges that England's elite division presents.

Gyokeres could get the opportunity to establish himself when Arsenal make the trip to Old Trafford on Sunday to take on Manchester United in their Premier League curtain-raiser, with Mikel Arteta eager to build momentum from the outset.