Hamann: Arsenal Should Have Pursued Darwin Nunez Instead of Gyokeres

Didi Hamann has questioned Arsenal's summer recruitment, suggesting they ought to have pursued Darwin Nunez instead of Viktor Gyokeres—a move the ex-Liverpool midfielder reckons would have been far more astute.

Gyokeres' debut campaign in north London has proven underwhelming by any measure. The Swedish striker has managed just five goals across 21 Premier League outings, leaving him open to criticism not merely for his finishing but for his broader contribution to Arsenal's attacking play—a sharp contrast to his prolific exploits at Sporting.

Nunez, meanwhile, departed Anfield for Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal last summer in a £46m deal after failing to establish himself on Merseyside. The move has proved more fruitful on the pitch, with the 25-year-old netting six times in 15 Saudi Pro League appearances this season.

Speaking to CasinoBeats, Hamann outlined why he fancies Nunez would have been the superior recruit for the Gunners.

"I thought Nunez would have been tailor-made for Arsenal, a team that creates many chances," Hamann explained. "For all his faults, and for all his easy chances he missed, Nunez always occupied two or three defenders with his physicality and his pace. If he could finish, he'd probably be the best player in the world. But I think for Arsenal he would have been a much better fit than Gyokeres."

With Gyokeres recently dropped to the bench, Hamann harbours doubts about the striker's capacity to reclaim his place in the starting eleven. The former midfielder was particularly scathing about Gyokeres' suitability for elite-level football.

"I don't think he's one of the top strikers in Europe," Hamann continued. "I think he's a goal scorer but then again I don't think a goal scorer against the best teams is enough because I don't think he will get into positions where he can score."

Hamann's reservations stem partly from Gyokeres' career trajectory before landing at Sporting. Having shuffled between several clubs prior to his Portuguese spell, the 27-year-old may simply lack the requisite calibre to flourish against Europe's elite defenders—particularly in the Premier League's unforgiving environment.

"It takes something more to even get into positions where you can finish against players like this, and obviously you have to finish chances too," Hamann reasoned. "It's a very physical game and sometimes it can wear you out. If you do get a chance after 70 or 75 minutes, maybe you lack that bit of energy and concentration and you miss it."

Hamann suggested Gyokeres' relative ease in Portugal—where defensive demands differed markedly from English football's intensity—may have masked shortcomings in his all-round play. The physical and mental rigours of leading the line at a title-chasing club, Hamann implied, may simply exceed Gyokeres' capabilities.

"Sometimes we have to give players a bit of time because it's a difficult game but I'm not sure he's got what it takes to lead the line for a club like Arsenal and take them to the title in all honesty."