Arsenal fans eagerly awaited Viktor Gyökeres’s debut following his £63.5 million move to the club. His first appearance came as a second-half substitute in the Gunners’ 1–0 loss against Tottenham during their pre-season Asian tour. Despite the warm welcome from supporters at Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong, Gyökeres’s impact was limited.

Mikel Arteta opted not to bring Gyökeres on at halftime while Arsenal trailed but introduced the Swedish forward in the 78th minute. With Arsenal struggling to penetrate Tottenham’s defence, recently strengthened under Thomas Frank, Gyökeres had a quiet cameo. In 12 minutes of play, he touched the ball only twice, completed two passes, and saw just one involvement inside the opponent’s penalty area. The attacking performance was subdued, and the team couldn’t find an equaliser.

After this frustrating outing, Gyökeres will return to England with the squad, hoping for more minutes in upcoming friendlies. Arsenal’s pre-season continues with home matches against Villarreal on August 6 and Athletic Club on August 9, where Gyökeres will look forward to his first game in front of the Emirates Stadium crowd.

Viktor Gyökeres, Arsenal’s new striker, has shared insights into his decision to join the club despite interest from Manchester United. The Sweden international highlighted Arsenal’s clear desire for his signature as a key factor in his choice.

While discussions with Arsenal progressed, Manchester United also approached Sporting for a potential reunion with manager Ruben Amorim. However, Gyökeres’s commitment to joining the Emirates Stadium side remained firm. He told The Athletic, “I felt that they wanted me here. But also because it’s a very big club with a lot of history. I just felt that I really wanted to come here and be a part of this club.”

He acknowledged that other clubs were in the running, but did not find the decision difficult. Gyökeres arrives with a significant reputation, having scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting. This pressure increased when he was assigned the iconic No.14 shirt at Arsenal, a number famously worn by Thierry Henry, with shirt sales reportedly reaching record levels.

On wearing the storied No.14 shirt, Gyökeres said, “Of course I know about the history [of the shirt], but to be honest, there weren’t too many numbers to pick from. But of course, that one was available, so when I knew that it was an easy choice to take it.”

He was keen to set realistic expectations, stating, “It’s not really my intention to be compared with what [Henry]’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. I think I have enough expectations on myself. I’ll just try to perform, to be honest. It’s not really up to me how people think or expect.”

Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are set to face each other in a landmark pre-season friendly, marking the first ever north London derby held on foreign soil. The match takes place on Thursday in Hong Kong, providing both teams with a significant opportunity to fine-tune ahead of the Premier League 2025/26 season.

Tottenham, under new management with Thomas Frank, have had a cautious start to their pre-season campaign. They have completed three friendlies so far in England: opening with a 2-0 win over Reading, followed by draws against Luton Town and Wycombe Wanderers. The clash with Arsenal promises to be their sternest test yet under Frank.

Arsenal arrive having shown strong form with recent wins over Newcastle United (3-2) and AC Milan (1-0), alongside victories in late May against Southampton and Newcastle. New signing Viktor Gyökeres, the Swedish forward, has joined the squad in Asia and may feature in this fixture. Cristhian Mosquera, a versatile Spanish defender who has yet to appear since the Newcastle match, might also make his debut.

Injuries remain a concern for Arsenal, with Riccardo Calafiori recovering from a setback and Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhães, and Jurriën Timber sidelined. Fifteen-year-old Max Dowman is expected to continue impressing with another appearance likely.

Arsenal’s predicted starting lineup in a 4-3-3 formation is:

Raya; White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Ødegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli.

Tottenham face their own injury challenges, with recent recruit Kōta Takai among several sidelined players including Dejan Kulusevski and Bryan Gil. Mikey Moore, unable to travel with the squad due to a potential loan move to Rangers, is absent. However, fans will see Son Heung-min, despite transfer rumors, take part. New arrivals Mohammed Kudus and Luka Vušković are set to make their first derby appearances, with Vušković already impressing with a goal and an assist in pre-season.

Tottenham’s predicted lineup (4-3-3) is:

Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Sarr, Bentancur, Maddison; Kudus, Solanke, Son.

While pre-season results offer limited competitive insights, both clubs are keen to secure a psychological advantage ahead of the league. A Tottenham victory would boost confidence and bring added pressure on Arsenal, while a win for Arsenal would confirm their status as front-runners in this season’s rivalry.