Arsenal striker Victor Gokeres has admitted that the Gunners' strong desire to sign him was a factor in his decision to move to the Emirates, despite Manchester United's late attempt to secure a move.
Gokeres, who scored an impressive 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting Lisbon, had previously expressed his ambition to move to a top-flight club. Arsenal quickly emerged as favourites to sign him, although negotiations with the Portuguese outfit proved to be long and drawn out. As the talks dragged on, Manchester United tried to get involved with the idea of a possible reunion between the Swede and his former manager Ruben Amorim. But Gökeres did not change his mind.
“I felt that they really wanted me here“, he told “The Athletic”. “Also, Arsenal is a big club with a rich history. I just felt that I wanted to be part of this team. Of course, there were other clubs, but the choice was not difficult for me.“
Expectations for the new signing are huge, especially since he was given the iconic number 14 - worn in the past by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry. Sales of shirts with his name are already breaking records.
“Of course, I know the history of this number“, commented Gökeres. “But, to be honest, there weren't many numbers available. When I found out that 14 was available, the decision was easy. I don't want to be compared to what Henry has achieved in his career, especially here. I just want to show what I can do. He was an incredible player, but different from me.“ “I have high enough expectations for myself. I will try to perform well. And what other people expect or think - that's not up to me“, concluded the new Arsenal striker.