Brighton don’t usually get it flawed with younger gamers. In any case, the quintet of Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella, Joao Pedro, Ben White and Alexis Mac Allister have introduced in £300m in switch charges within the final 4 years.
However the Seagulls had Viktor Gyokeres on their books and bought him for simply £1m to Coventry in 2021. He has since grow to be a £20m participant at Sporting CP – then a £63.5m marquee signing for Arsenal. And now he’s the Gerd Muller Trophy holder after scoring extra objectives than any participant in 2025.
“We knew there was a top talent there – as that has subsequently been proved,” Brighton chief government Paul Barber tells Sky Sports activities concerning the ahead. So why is Gyokeres not amongst a protracted record of Seagull success tales?
The Sweden ahead looks like a traditional Brighton signing – plucked from obscurity and with enormous potential. However he left them with a mere eight first-team appearances to his title, none of them within the Premier League, and only one aim.
He was additionally a part of a profitable Brighton U23 facet that acquired promoted to the highest division of the Premier League 2 in 2018. Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was a part of that crew, whereas his now-Arsenal team-mate White shared Brighton youth tasks alongside Gyokeres.
The very first thing to notice about Gyokeres’ time at Brighton is he wasn’t a striker. He was a winger. “He could play through the middle but he kind of played off the left,” says Josh Kerr to Sky Sports activities, who performed with the ahead in Brighton’s youth set-up.
“He would play as a striker now and again, but we had Aaron Connolly who was really good. If we had the two of them – and we always played 4-3-3 – we knew that Viktor could handle playing left wing and could cut in.”
Gyokeres largely performed as a winger for Brighton’s youth and first crew
It meant that Gyokeres’ first 4 senior appearances for Brighton got here in that left wing place. However simply because it now seems to be just like the Swede was taking part in out of place, doesn’t suggest he could not present his high quality.
“We obviously rated him highly then but we didn’t think he would kick on as much as he has, which has been quite incredible,” says Kerr.
“He was adjusting to life in England. But we could see month-by-month a difference in him each time.
“You would see the traits of what you are seeing now. He would all the time drift in, always eager to get to the aim.”
That place has influenced Gyokeres’ profession thus far. A variety of his objectives come by way of runs from the left channel. It turned a staple throughout his time at Sporting – and even his first aim for Arsenal in opposition to Leeds got here from a channel run down that flank.
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Gyokeres’ first Arsenal aim got here by way of a left-wing run
“He’s probably one of the most ruthless players that I’ve seen when he’s on the halfway line and he’s going to goal from the left,” says Kerr.
“It was just the pace and power, sometimes teams couldn’t cope with that.”
That left wing place additionally helped Gyokeres’ all-round sport. “You want your wingers to work back and help your full-backs out – doing the thankless task of doubling up when you go to some of those tough away grounds,” remembers Kerr.
“He would do it without you having to ask him – which is massive for certain teams or managers.
“He was only a good man and that is what you get from him. Works onerous, does his job for the crew.”
That’s pertinent at present amid his position at Arsenal. Throughout a seven-game aim drought, Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta and the striker’s team-mates in north London pressured the selfless work Gyokeres dropped at the crew.
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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was filled with reward for Gyokeres after the striker scored twice to assist the Gunners beat Atletico Madrid 4-0 within the Champions League
At Brighton, he ultimately ended up within the centre ahead position for the first-team, making three begins within the Carabao Cup within the 2020-21 season below Graham Potter, who’s now his nationwide crew boss with Sweden.
He acquired a aim and an help within the second-round win over Portsmouth, and even began the fourth-round loss to Manchester United, along with his future Arsenal team-mates White and Leandro Trossard additionally concerned.
However that might be his remaining sport for Brighton. The primary-team outings dried up for the ahead. It did not simply fail to work out for Gyokeres, but additionally Kerr – who is identical age because the Swede and now works as an agent for CAA Base, having retired early as a result of damage.
“They were not playing expansive football at that point,” says Kerr. “It was extra about survival so we might by no means actually see as many boys come by to the primary crew in these seasons.
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Gyokeres’ former managers Chris Hughton and Mark Robins present perception into the striker’s early years in England
“They just weren’t going to play with the younger boys when they were trying to survive. Once they became an established Premier League club, they could then start to drip-feed boys in.
“So I believe it was a timing factor. If we had a couple of extra years at Brighton, we might have had a bit extra of an opportunity.”
Loans to Swansea and Coventry gave Gyokeres more senior football. His time in Wales saw more game time as a left winger, and when both moves failed to set the world alight, both Gyokeres and Brighton decided to part ways.
“Viktor progressed exceptionally properly – however he wished to progress even additional quicker,” recalls Brighton CEO Barber.
“At the moment we could not assure him first-team soccer right here. We had been very blissful to proceed to mortgage Viktor so he might proceed to progress.
“But I think it says a lot about Viktor himself that he wanted a more permanent base sooner. He eventually got that and the rest is history.”
The £1m payment Coventry paid for Brighton ended up being a turning level for the participant. The arrogance he acquired from being the Sky Blues’ centre ahead within the Championship brought about a significant shift.
His physicality went up in the summertime he made his everlasting transfer. “He definitely put the effort it,” says Kerr. “He’s an absolute machine. He’s shredded!”
The objectives went flying in too. His well-known celebration was born in Coventry, with the striker himself admitting this season that creating the ‘masks’ coincided along with his aim report enhancing.
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Gyokeres gave an sincere evaluation of how he’s discovering life at Arsenal to date and in addition opened up on his earlier spells in England
Gyokeres nonetheless has fond recollections of Brighton. That proved to be the case when Kerr was out doing agent work in Slovenia final September and noticed Sweden had been taking part in a World Cup qualifier whereas he was there.
He messaged Gyokeres – with whom he had shared a room with at a Hong Kong youth match – for a ticket and the striker delivered right away.
“Some people would go the other way and say: ‘I’m too good for that now’,” says Kerr. “But it shows he’s got a level head on him and he can look after people he knows.”
However do Brighton have any regrets about letting Gyokeres slip off their books?
“It depends on whether you say slipped through or progressed through,” says Barber. “I would prefer to say progressed through.
“It is all the time good once you spot a younger expertise, nurture them and also you see them go on to even higher issues.
“We wish him well – apart from a few games this season!”
Watch Arsenal vs Brighton within the Carabao Cup fourth spherical reside on Sky Sports activities+ this Wednesday from 7.30pm; kick-off 7.45pm.
