Viktor Gyokeres has been reunited with his former Brighton teammate, Ben White, after joining Arsenal. The pair progressed through the youth ranks together and now find themselves playing in the Premier League side for the Gunners. White, who has been sidelined since the Manchester United match, is reportedly nearing a return, while Gyokeres has cemented his position as Arsenal’s starting striker, boosted by Kai Havertz’s injury and Gabriel Jesus’ absence.
The two players rekindled their connection during pre-season when Gyokeres was signed. Arsenal quickly moved for the Swedish forward after other transfer targets were overlooked, and within a month, he officially joined the club. White, speaking in an interview with the official Arsenal website, explained how he enjoyed welcoming new players and shared that he had spoken with Gyokeres before his arrival.
“Yeah, I know Viktor really well,” White said. “We played together at Brighton for three or four years, and it was clear even then that he had great potential. From the moment he joined the under-21s, you could see he had something special. We often trained with the first team, so we spent a lot of time together. Even though we didn’t break into the first team regularly, we were always close.”
White also reflected on their different career paths, noting that while they both went out on loan at various points, fate brought them back together at Arsenal. “I spoke to him a little before he signed, but there was a lot happening, so I didn’t want to bother him. I just told him he would love it here, but I think he already knew that.”
Regarding training, White described the challenge of facing Gyokeres on the pitch. “Haha, yeah, he’s a monster! He lives for goals and is always a threat. You really don’t want to get in his way because he’ll just move you aside.”
White also highlighted Gyokeres’ experience in English football as a major asset. “He’s already played in the Premier League and knows what to expect from defenders. That experience will help him settle quickly at Arsenal. I honestly can’t say a bad word about him—he’s one of the best.”
