Arsenal told they 'might've won Premier League already' if they'd signed Bundesliga striker instead of Viktor Gyokeres

Arsenal's decision to invest heavily in Gyokeres has been called into question by former Champions League winner Smicer. The Swedish international arrived at the Emirates from Sporting CP in a high-profile £64 million deal, but his debut season has sparked debate among pundits regarding his efficiency in front of goal.

While Gyokeres has found more consistency in the second half of the campaign, his early struggles contributed to a perceived lack of clinical edge in the Gunners' attack. Smicer argues that a different profile of striker from the Bundesliga would have been the final piece of the puzzle for Arteta’s side.

Smicer, who starred for Liverpool and the Czech Republic, is adamant that Bayer Leverkusen's Schick possesses a level of technical quality that Gyokeres cannot match. Despite Schick's history of muscle injuries, he believes the Gunners might have already won the title if they had opted to sign the 30-year-old striker.

"Patrik Schick is a classic goalscorer," smicer told BetVictor. "In the box, he’s very, very clever and he can finish from all angles. His left foot is really good. Unfortunately for him, he’s suffered a lot from muscle injuries. If Schick had joined Arsenal instead of Viktor Gyokeres, I think they might have won the Premier League title already."

The criticism comes despite Arsenal sitting nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table. Gyokeres has scored 17 goals in 44 appearances in all competitions, but only five league goals in his first six months have raised concerns. Schick, meanwhile, has scored 16 goals in 35 games across all competitions.

Smicer doubled down on his assessment of the two forwards, suggesting that Schick’s natural instincts would have yielded a higher return from the chances Arsenal create. "With the same chances, he would have scored a lot more goals," he added. "I’m certain of that because he is a much better finisher. I’d still like to see him in the Premier League."

With a nine-point lead at the top of the domestic league and a 1-0 win over Sporting CP in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, Arteta's side are on the verge of a historic season, although their attacking options remain a concern. The Gunners return to action this weekend when they host Bournemouth, before facing Sporting in the second leg next week.