Gyokeres can help us win trophies: Saliba

Singapore Festival of Football 2025

- Kolette Lim

Arsenal fans are not the only ones over the moon about their newest signing Viktor Gyokeres — defender William Saliba is also positive that the Swedish striker will help the Gunners end their trophy drought.

After weeks of relentless buzz, the English Premier League giants signed the 27-year-old goal machine from Sporting Lisbon for a reported £55 million (S$94.9 million) and unveiled him to rapturous applause before their 3-2 friendly win over Newcastle United at the National Stadium on July 27.

Saliba is only too glad that Gyokeres — who plundered 54 goals in 52 matches last season and finished second in the 2024-25 European Golden Shoe standings behind Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe — will not be on the opposing side when they next share a pitch.

"We know how good he is and how it's scary to play against him, so of course, I'm happy to have him in my club and I'm sure that he will help us to win games and trophies," said the 24-year-old French centre-back in an interview after Arsenal beat Newcastle to bring the 2025 Singapore Festival of Football to a close.

"When you face a striker who scores goals, you have to be focused. But now he's in our team, and he'll score for us, so that's good."