Arsenal finally have their striker in the prolific Viktor Gyokeres, but how many goals does the Swede need to score for the Gunners to realistically challenge for the Premier League title?
Having finished as runners-up for three consecutive seasons, Arsenal has invested over $75 million to secure his services. Gyokeres scored 97 goals in just 102 matches for Sporting after moving from Coventry City in the Championship, leading to heightened expectations for his role in the team.
While concerns exist about whether Gyokeres can replicate his scoring feats in a more competitive league in England, the support from players like Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, and new signee Noni Madueke should aid him significantly. If he can find the spaces he occupied at Sporting, Arsenal could be contenders for the title.
Analysis of Top Scorers for Premier League Winners since 2015
Here is a breakdown of the scoring performance among league champions:
| Season | PL Winner | Top Scorer | Number of Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Liverpool | Mohamed Salah | 29 |
| 2023-24 | Manchester City | Erling Haaland | 27 |
| 2022-23 | Manchester City | Erling Haaland | 36 |
| 2021-22 | Manchester City | Kevin De Bruyne | 15 |
| 2020-21 | Manchester City | Ilkay Gundogan | 13 |
| 2019-20 | Liverpool | Mohamed Salah | 19 |
| 2018-19 | Manchester City | Sergio Aguero | 21 |
| 2017-18 | Manchester City | Sergio Aguero | 21 |
| 2016-17 | Chelsea | Diego Costa | 20 |
| 2015-16 | Leicester City | Jamie Vardy | 24 |
In the last 10 seasons, only three top scorers for league-winning teams scored fewer than 20 goals, and that is clearly an exception in a league dominated by Manchester City. The average number of goals scored by the top scorer in winning teams is 22.5 goals.
In the 2024-25 season, five players found the net more than 20 times, with three of those teams securing top four placement. Therefore, achieving 20 goals must be Gyokeres’ target at Arsenal. Last season, Arsenal’s title slip against Liverpool, by a 10-point margin, could have seen a different outcome had they had a player to finish match-winning goals during their 14 draws throughout the season. Their poor record in close matches underlines the necessity of having a clinical finisher.
With Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz delivering 22 goals and six assists, while Gyokeres netted 39 in league play, Arsenal’s scoring average of 13.3 goals from their top scorer over three seasons indicates a pressing need for improvement. A 20-goal tally could indeed pave the way for silverware for Arsenal in the upcoming season.
