Viktor Gyokeres: Arsenal Finally Unveil Swedish Striker But Heavy Legacy Awaits Him

The Swede inherits the iconic number 14 shirt, worn by club legend Thierry Henry between 1999 and 2007, and will aim to end a 21-year Premier League title drought.

Viktor Gyokeres is officially an Arsenal player, and his squad number has been confirmed: 14.

He wore the same number briefly (12 appearances, 1 goal) during an unsuccessful loan spell at Swansea before moving to Coventry. With the number 9 already taken by Gabriel Jesus, the Swede had to choose another shirt and boldly opted for the iconic number worn by Gunners legend Thierry Henry.

The pressure was already immense for the former Sporting player, not only due to his hefty transfer fee (€63 million + €10 million in add-ons), but also because of his impressive record of 97 goals and 27 assists in 102 official matches for Sporting over the past two seasons. Now, the weight of expectation is even greater, carrying the number 14, a shirt steeped in history in North London.

PAY ATTENTION: Stay updated with the Latest Sports News in Kenya from Pulse Sports

Henry began his career at Monaco and had a short stint at Juventus before arriving in England, where he first donned the number 14. During his initial eight seasons with Arsenal (1999/00 to 2007/08), the Frenchman scored 221 goals and provided 99 assists in 370 appearances, winning seven trophies: two FA Community Shields (2002/03 and 2004/05), three FA Cups (2002, 2003, and 2005), and two Premier League titles (2001/02 and 2003/04), the latter achieved with an unbeaten "Invincible" season. Arsenal haven't won the league since.

Thierry Henry Broke Records Wearing No14 Shirt

Furthermore, Henry won back-to-back Premier League Golden Boots in 2003/04 and 2004/05 and was the league's top scorer four times: with 24 goals in 2001/02, 30 in 2003/04, 25 in 2004/05, and 27 in 2005/06. He was also named the best footballer in England in 2002/03 and 2003/04. These remarkable achievements underscore his significant impact on the club.

In 2007/08, he moved to Barcelona, continuing to shine in the number 14 shirt and winning the coveted UEFA Champions League in 2008/09, a season in which he bagged 26 goals and eight assists in 42 games. He joined the NY Red Bulls in MLS in 2010 but returned to Arsenal on loan for a final farewell in 2012, scoring two more goals in seven appearances (wearing number 12) before retiring in the US two years later.

Since Henry's departure, only three players have dared to wear the legendary number 14. Theo Walcott, who debuted for Arsenal at just 16, switched to the number at 19 and wore it from 2008 to 2017. The perpetually promising Englishman had a bright start but couldn't maintain that level.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang followed, enjoying success leading the Gunners' attack between 2017/18 and 2021/22 before departing on poor terms. Finally, academy graduate Eddie Nketiah inherited the number in 2021/22 but never quite established himself as a first-choice striker and left for Crystal Palace last season.

It remains to be seen whether Viktor Gyokeres can finally prove himself in England and lead Arsenal to the coveted Premier League title (ending a 21-year drought) after three consecutive second-place finishes under Mikel Arteta.