Arsenal are among the numerous big clubs to be linked with in-form Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres, and it seems Gunners goalkeeper David Raya is well aware of the player’s quality.
Arsenal will get a closer look at Gyokeres tonight as Mikel Arteta’s side take on Sporting in the Champions League, with Raya discussing the threat of the Sweden international ahead of the game.
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Raya will undoubtedly need to be at his best against such a lethal forward, while the Spanish shot-stopper will also be hoping the defenders in front of him can help keep the 26-year-old quiet.
Arsenal fans, meanwhile, will be hoping for a good result, but will surely also be keen to get a look at how well Gyokeres can perform against higher-calibre opposition than he usually comes up against.
While it would be unfair to disrespect the Portuguese league, it’s certainly a level below the English top flight, so Gyokeres isn’t guaranteed to be a hit in the Premier League if he does end up joining Arsenal or another team here.
Still, Gyokeres has already put Manchester City to the sword this season with a fantastic display in Sporting’s recent 4-1 win over Pep Guardiola’s side, so it’s wise that Raya is clearly not taking this opponent lightly.
“We know his strengths, how he runs a lot in behind and scores a lot in one-v-one and he is a top player in form,” Raya said in a press conference, as quoted by the Metro.
“We are going to try and keep him very, very quiet. Don’t give him any chances. We have to step up defensively. Hopefully we can do a great job and keep a clean sheet.”
It will also be interesting to see how Gyokeres and the rest of this Sporting team get on now that Ruben Amorim has left as manager.
The Portuguese tactician was a hugely important part of the Lisbon outfit’s success, but he’s just made the move to Manchester United.
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