Viktor Gyokeres has opened up on his recent £63.5m move to Arsenal from Sporting Lisbon, which was confirmed last weekend.
The Swedish striker was at the centre of one of this summer transfer window's biggest sagas, and after months of speculation over a move away from the Portuguese league, the 27-year-old finally got the move he prioritised.
Gyokeres, who scored 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting, is set to follow in the footsteps of Arsenal legend Thierry Henry when he represents The Gunners on the pitch, as he has chosen the number 14 shirt.
Henry wore the same number during his scintillating first spell at the North London club between 1999-2007.
During this period, Henry wrote himself into Arsenal history, as he scored 174 goals and played a lead role in helping the side win two Premier League titles and three FA Cup's. Henry's legacy cemented 14 as an iconic number throughout the club.
Confirmation of Gyokeres' shirt number caused mass excitement among the Arsenal fanbase. The club's official online store crashed due to the high demand for the new striker's shirt.
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Ahead of a potential first appearance for Mikel Arteta's side on Thursday (July 31) against arch-rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, in Hong Kong, Gyokeres opened up on his decision to take Henry's old number.
He explained: "I know about the history (the number 14 shirt at Arsenal). To be honest there weren't so many numbers available. But of course, that one (number 14) was available. So when I knew that it, was an easy choice to take it."
Despite the natural comparisons that will now be made between Gyokeres and Henry after the former selected the Frenchman's number, the Swedish international is not fazed by the talk.
The 27-year-old said: "It's not really my intention to be compared with what he's achieved in his career. Especially here. I just want to do my own thing and show my qualities."
Arteta approved of his new signing taking the number 14 shirt, stating: "The way he (Gyokeres) was talking about the club, the history and Thierry, and what the shirt represented. He straight away felt it, and when you feel it, go for it."
Before Gyokeres set his sights on a move to the Emirates Stadium, he was linked with a move to Manchester United, to potentially link-up with former manager from Sporting, Ruben Amorim.
However, that move never materialised despite the speculation at the start of the summer.
Intriguingly, Gyokeres will make his first Premier League appearance away against Amorim's United side on August 17, as The Red Devils are Arsenal's first opponent of the upcoming Premier League campaign.
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