Wayne Rooney has crowned Viktor Gyokeres as the Premier League's standout signing of the 2025-26 season following Arsenal's domestic title triumph. The Manchester United legend believes the Swedish striker provided the clinical finishing power that finally ended the Gunners' 20-year wait for a league championship.
Arsenal clinched the title on Sunday, finishing seven points clear of defending champions Manchester City despite Pep Guardiola's side's continued dominance. Manager Mikel Arteta invested heavily during the summer transfer window, bringing in players including Martin Zubimendi and Eberechi Eze. Yet Rooney insists Gyokeres rose above the competition in terms of impact.
The 27-year-old forward, who joined Arsenal as part of a major squad overhaul, overcame a slow adaptation to become the focal point of a championship-winning attack. Across all competitions, Gyokeres netted 21 goals while proving instrumental in both the Premier League success and the club's path to the Champions League final in Paris.
Tactical Evolution Under Arteta
Speaking on his BBC podcast after the campaign concluded, Rooney praised not only Gyokeres but also Arsenal's shift in tactical direction. For three consecutive seasons, the North London side had finished runners-up while Arteta seemingly attempted to replicate his former mentor's blueprint. This season marked a departure from that approach.
"Champions are champions," Rooney explained. "Mikel has changed the recruitment. They've gone more to a bigger, more physical team, and they don't concede goals." Rather than chasing Guardiola's possession-based model, Arsenal constructed a more robust, defensively-oriented side capable of controlling matches through different means.
- Gyokeres scored 21 goals across all competitions
- Arsenal finished seven points clear of Manchester City
- The Gunners reached the Champions League final
- Arteta shifted away from pure Guardiola-style tactics
Rooney highlighted Arsenal's improved squad depth and the ability to generate goals from multiple attacking sources. The defensive solidity complemented an attack led by Gyokeres, creating a balanced formula that finally broke City's stranglehold on the league after the previous three seasons of near-misses.
Arsenal now turns attention to the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on May 30, where Arteta's team will pursue a historic domestic and European double that would cement their status as one of England's great modern sides.
