Viktor Gyokeres' first words after £63.7m Arsenal deal as striker reveals reason for transfer

Viktor Gyokeres' move to Arsenal from Sporting CP has been confirmed, with the striker signing a five-year contract and joining Noni Madueke as the second offensive player to join the club this summer. The Sweden international is expected to join his new teammates on their pre-season tour of Asia and could play a part in pre-season, with a potential debut against Tottenham.

The deal has felt like a long time coming for Arsenal supporters, despite the fact the Gunners switched attention to the forward less than three weeks ago from Benjamin Sesko. In the grand scheme of things, the deal has happened relatively swiftly with everything agreed in just over a fortnight.

The striker has since been speaking to the club’s official website. It's an interview fans have been waiting for patiently for some time, with great anticipation especially considering the player's desperation to join the club and having fought so hard to make it happen.

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And he has saaid all the right things - as you might expect - in his first interview with the club's official website since completing a £63.7million transfer.

He said: "I always want to score. To be a part of this club and to score in this kit and with this badge in front of all the supporters, I can't wait. It will be an amazing feeling.

"I started here [in England], it feels like a long time ago. I think I've improved a lot since then. Now I want to prove myself for real and perform together with the team.

"It's a big honour to play for your country, and then to score goals for them is amazing. When I played at Sporting, I scored a few goals in the Champions League so I feel that I can be on that level as well. Now to come here to a club on Arsenal's level, I think it's going to help me perform even better with all the amazing players in this team. I'm really excited to get going."

Gyokeres has been brought into the club to solve their striker problem, which was exacerbated last season by Mikel Merino having to be used as a makeshift striker in the second half of the campaign.

The Swede believes he is up to the task and explained why north London was the right place for him despite plenty of interest from elsewhere.

"I just felt that it was the right club for me," he revealed. "What I heard from Mikel and Andrea [Berta] when I was speaking with them, and just what I've seen in the past years, how they've been playing football. When I was playing against Arsenal last season, I could really feel it was a very strong team and very difficult to play against.

"That made me choose Arsenal, and of course all the history the club has and the massive fanbase. It's been amazing to see all the support that they have already given me before I even arrived. That's what it's all about. It's going to be very nice to see them in the stadiums as well."