Viktor Gyokeres sends clear message to Mikel Arteta as Arsenal star breaks historic UEFA Nations League record during international break

Friday night saw the 28-year-old make history during a 1-1 Nations League draw against Bosnia & Herzegovina. Playing at the Bilino Polje Stadium, Gyokeres broke the deadlock on the hour mark before Juventus starlet Kerim Alajbegovic levelled for the hosts.

That strike cemented an unprecedented milestone for the Arsenal frontman. He is now the first player ever to find the back of the net in six successive Nations League appearances.

His remarkable streak stretches back to a four-goal haul against Azerbaijan in November 2024. Since then, he has consistently delivered on the international stage, adding further goals against Estonia, Slovakia, and most recently in victories over Romania and Poland.

While international goals continue to flow, domestic minutes have been hard to come by. Summer speculation suggested Arsenal were in the market for a new focal point in attack, with Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium.

Despite the rumours and a lack of regular game time under Arteta this term, Gyokeres remained with the Gunners. He now faces a battle to dislodge Kai Havertz from the starting line-up, but his sustained prowess for the national team provides compelling evidence of his sharpness.

Addressing his situation ahead of the game, the Swedish international made it clear he never considered departing the club. "Of course, there was a lot of speculation," he explained. "But I had a full pre-season, and it felt good. I was fully focused on Arsenal. For me, staying was a given. I'm extremely happy at the club."

Acknowledging his desire for greater involvement, he added: "It's clear that I want to play football and as much as possible. Hopefully that will come, too.

"You always want to be on the field as a football player. Of course you expect more playing time, but we have an extremely good squad with a lot of good players and have been doing well here at the start."

Gyokeres has the chance to extend his international scoring streak when Sweden travel to Bucharest to face Romania on Monday night. After that, his attention shifts back to club duties and a potential opening in Arteta's starting XI.

First-choice striker Havertz is currently nursing a muscle strain sustained while away with Germany. With Arsenal set to face Leeds on October 10, Arteta may be reluctant to risk Havertz for the full 90 minutes. That opens the door for a fully firing Gyokeres to step up and translate his record-breaking international form to the Premier League.