Dimitar Berbatov has admitted he was "disappointed" Viktor Gyokeres chose to join Arsenal as his former club Manchester United prepare to face him.
Arsenal play United this weekendGyokeres could make first-team debutUnited signed Benjamin SeskoFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Former United striker Berbatov has expressed his "disappointment" that Gyokeres chose to move to Arsenal in the summer, in what ended up being a £64 million ($87m) deal. The Red Devils, of course, signed Benjamin Sesko instead, and the pair are set to go toe-to-toe on Sunday, when the two sides kick off their Premier League campaigns.
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Gyokeres scored a staggering 54 goals in all competitions with Sporting last season, while Sesko netted 21 times for RB Leipzig in all competitions. Berbatov, as a result, predicts an intriguing duel between the two forwards, and also Mikel Arteta and Ruben Amorim.
WHAT BERBATOV SAID
Berbatov told A Bola: "Yes, he was phenomenal in Portugal."
He added: "I'm a little jealous, to be honest. Sad and even disappointed because he did not go to United, because there was even a Portuguese connection. But he chose Arsenal. In a way, I get it. Arsenal are playing well, play good football, with pass, pass, looking for spaces. Mikel Arteta is a student of Pep Guardiola and that's how he plays, he's never going to change.
"Gyokeres will have opportunities to make his mark there, for sure. And the first game of the season will be a test for everyone: Amorim against Arteta, United against Arsenal, Gyokeres against Sesko — United’s new 9. Therefore, you can already see some interesting duels on the field."
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United and Arsenal will both look to lay down a marker at the other's expense on Sunday.