'We know him very well' - Dortmund boss Niko Kovac delivers surprise verdict on Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres

Mikel Arteta’s side suffered their second consecutive defeat of the summer, slumping to a loss in front of their home supporters as they continue their preparations for the new campaign. While Gyokeres managed to find the net from the penalty spot in the second half, the Sweden international has faced significant scrutiny for his overall performances.

The former Sporting CP man appeared to be lacking sharpness during last week’s clash against Real Betis and was again a focal point for criticism following the reversal against Dortmund.

Despite the external noise, Niko Kovac was full of praise for the forward when asked which Arsenal players had impressed him during the encounter in North London. "There are a lot of top players when you see Gyokeres he is strong, he is quick, he is fast he is very direct," Kovac told reporters after masterminding the victory. The Dortmund boss remained complimentary of the striker’s attributes, adding: "We know him very well but I can mention all the players."

While fans may be concerned about his pre-season rhythm, Gyokeres remains focused on the bigger picture as Arsenal prepare to face Manchester City. The striker has flatly rejected the idea that the upcoming clash in Cardiff is a meaningless exhibition.

"Against City? As a friendly? I don’t know what other people think but we want to win that game of course, for sure," Gyokeres stated while dismissing the notion that the match lacks importance. He knows that a victory would set the tone for their title defence.

He added: "When you win titles, you get confidence, you get a boost with everything that comes with it. So, yeah, it's only positive things with that. We want to make sure that we're not only on top of that but that we're ready for the new season."

Arsenal's defensive solidity has been a talking point after conceding three goals in each of their last two outings. Gyokeres admitted that the Dortmund match provided necessary tactical lessons, noting how the German side utilized rotations and runs in behind to stretch the Gunners' backline.

"Dortmund played man-to-man, when they attacked, they rotated a lot and made runs in behind," the striker observed. "It was a good test for us and we learned what we have to do much better defensively. The third goal came from a corner, the other two goals at the beginning were of course frustrating as well."

Beyond the action on the pitch, the afternoon was highlighted by the unveiling of Bruno Guimaraes. The Brazil international was introduced to the Emirates crowd after completing his high-profile move from Newcastle United, providing a significant boost to the Gunners' midfield options.

Arteta was visibly delighted to secure his primary target, he told the club's official website: "You can see the immediate reaction. I think he describes himself as a warrior. I think he’s a warrior with a tremendous quality as well and intuition and leadership and charisma that is going to help us, that is going to really ignite something different in the team. I think he’s going to push everybody inside the team as well and that’s the type of player that we need."