Viktor Gyokeres' former team-mate sheds light on his behaviour and his comments say it all

Viktor Gyokeres' fierce competitive spirit during training sessions will surely thrill Arsenal supporters following the official announcement of his highly anticipated transfer.

The Swedish forward completed his move to the Gunners on Saturday in a deal worth £63.7million from Sporting CP. The 27-year-old had been the focal point of one of summer's most dramatic transfer stories, which saw him refuse to return to training with the Portuguese title holders as he pushed for his dream switch to north London.

Following lengthy discussions, with complications arising over disagreements regarding the payment structure of performance-related bonuses, a resolution was finally reached this week, marking Gyokeres' return to England after a two-year absence.

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The forward will wear the iconic No. 14 shirt, continuing the legacy established by club icon Thierry Henry. It seems remarkable that just in 2023, Gyokeres was still featuring in the Championship with Coventry City, yet his relentless determination and hunger for success were evident even during his time in England's second tier, reports the Mirror.

Ben Sheaf, a former Arsenal academy product and current Coventry midfielder, shared the pitch with Gyokeres for two-and-a-half seasons and spoke enthusiastically about his ex-team-mate's commitment to self-improvement.

"When he came [on loan from Brighton], he was in and out of the team and showed glimpses of quality," Sheaf told The Athletic. "He signed permanently after the first loan, and he came back having put more muscle on and was even more physical.

"He was relentless with how much he practised. He'd do a lot of finishing drills after training. I remember once in training, we did 11-v-11, and the ball got thrown into him when I was playing against him.

"He pinned and rolled me, and I just couldn't do anything about it. That was the first time I remember thinking, 'Blimey, this is what opposition teams are going to feel.' That was the first time I felt his physicality."

Gyokeres' fiercely competitive spirit often came to the fore during training matches, leading to on-pitch disputes. "He was always ultra-competitive in training," Sheaf confessed.

"He'd throw his toys out of the pram if we didn't win a small-sided game. He's a serious guy until you get to know him and he opens up. He's a good lad but he'd be arguing in training, always wanting to win and doing finishing drills after - absolutely t**ting balls in."

Arsenal's sporting director, Andrea Berta, highlighted Gyokeres' winning mentality when discussing the deal that brought him to the Emirates Stadium. "We are so pleased with the excellent deal we have completed to bring Viktor Gyökeres to the club," Berta said.

"Viktor is an exceptional talent and has consistently demonstrated he has the qualities and winning mentality required of a top-level centre-forward. His physicality, intelligence and work ethic make him a perfect fit for our vision.

"We are confident Viktor will have a major impact on the pitch and become an important figure in our dressing room. Welcome, Viktor!"