Joe Cole suggests Arsenal should have signed £65m star instead of Viktor Gyokeres

Joe Cole says there remain ‘question marks’ over Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen would have been a more sure-fire signing for Arsenal this summer.

After months of intense rumour and speculation, Arsenal saw off strong competition from Manchester United to sign Gyokeres from Sporting in a deal worth around £64million.

Given the size of the fee, there are weighty expectations on Gyokeres to step up and become the focal point of Arsenal’s attack – and the news that Kai Havertz could be set for a spell on the sidelines has only intensified the pressure on the striker to hit the ground running.

Gyokeres was thrown straight in at the deep end against Manchester United last weekend and it proved a challenging experience for the Swede, who failed to register a single shot in the 1-0 win before he was taken off on the hour-mark.

The former Sporting star – who scored 54 goals in 52 games last term – will no doubt be desperate to continue his run in the side and open his account for the season when the Gunners play host to newly promoted Leeds on Saturday.

Arsenal were credited with an interest in a number of high-profile centre-forwards before Gyokeres signed on the dotted line in north London, including Ollie Watkins, Alexander Isak, Benjamin Sesko and Dusan Vlahovic.

Victor Osimhen had also been linked with a move to the Emirates for some time, but Arsenal’s hierarchy never seriously considered a bid this summer, and the Nigerian went on to join Galatasaray on a permanent basis for £65m last month.

According to ex-Chelsea and England winger Cole, Osimhen may have been a safer bet than Gyokeres for what could be Arteta’s ‘best chance’ yet at winning the Premier League title.

‘I make them [Liverpool] favourites [for the title]. They’ve strengthened and they won it at a canter last season,’ Cole told Hayters TV.

‘I think this might be Arteta’s best chance that he’s had. He’s got a centre-forward in, but there’s still a question mark there.

‘It’s not like you’re bringing in a player like… if Arsenal would’ve gone and signed Osimhen, who I’ve seen do it in Italy and in Turkey…

‘This kid [Gyokeres], there is still a question mark. I think he’s going to be alright, I think he’ll score goals, but I just think Liverpool are the best side at the moment.

‘The best chance the other teams have is if Liverpool have a slow start because there’s a lot of change, but by the end of the season I expect them to be motoring.’

Cole appears more convinced about another of Arsenal’s other big-name summer signings, Noni Madueke, who joined from arch-rivals Chelsea for an initial fee of £48.5m last summer.

The three-time Premier League winner believes Madueke’s versatility could be a big plus for Arsenal and the England international may find himself used on the left flank over the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.

‘I think Noni is a very, very good player,’ Cole added.

‘I think Mikel Arteta would have watched him and he played games for Chelsea on the left at the time last year and he really did well because he’s powerful and can get on the outside.

‘Now, Martinelli missed games through injury, Trossard obviously scores goals but you never felt that he was going to kick on and he was impacting games.

‘I think Madueke is a great signing for Arsenal. It improves their squad and I think you’ll see him play a lot on the left. He can play both flanks.’

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