Arsenal's Gyokeres Shuts Down Thierry Henry Comparisons; Says 'I Want To Do My Own Thing'

Last Updated:July 31, 2025, 15:51 IST

Arsenal's new striker Viktor Gyokeres, 27, aims to carve his own legacy, not overshadow Thierry Henry, after taking the number 14 jersey. He joined from Sporting Lisbon for €63.5M.

Gyokeres will don the iconic No. 14 jersey at Arsenal (X)

Arsenal’s newest striker Viktor Gyokeres clarified that he intends to carve out his own place in the club’s history, playing down comparisons with Thierry Henry after taking the number 14 jersey with the Gunners.

The 27-year-old Sweden international completed his 63.5 million euros ($72.56 million) switch from Sporting Lisbon on Saturday.

Gyokeres took Arsenal’s vacant number 14 shirt, which former captain Henry famously wore on the way to becoming the club’s record scorer.

“Of course I know about the history," Gyokeres told British media on Wednesday.

“To be honest, there weren’t so many numbers available. There weren’t too many to pick from.

“But of course, that one was available. So when I knew that, it was an easy choice to take it."

But the Swede made it very clear that he wasn’t looking to oust the legendary Frenchman’s legacy but rather find inspiration from the same to help him establish his own.

“It’s not really my intention to be compared with what he’s achieved in his career. Especially here. I just want to do my own thing and show my qualities. Of course, he was an amazing player, but different from me."

Gyokeres, A Proven Goal Machine

The 27-year-old striker arrives in north London after a sensational season with Sporting Lisbon, where he scored 54 goals across competitions and helped the club to a Portuguese league title.

He made international headlines with a Champions League hat-trick against Manchester City and left the Portuguese side this summer with an extraordinary record: 97 goals in 104 appearances.

Alongside Gyökeres, Arsenal have bolstered their squad with several key additions: defender Cristhian Mosquera, midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Christian Nørgaard, goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, and forward Noni Madueke.

The Swede now aims to help end the club’s two-decade wait for a league title — a feat last achieved under Arsène Wenger in the 2003/04 season.

Arsenal begin their new Premier League campaign at Old Trafford against Manchester United on August 17.

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

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