Mourinho Unleashes Scathing Attack on Arsenal: Targets Gyokeres and Slams 'Invincibles' Legacy
José Mourinho, the former manager of Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur, has raised questions about Viktor Gyökeres' potential success in the Premier League following his anticipated €73.5 million (£63.7 million, $86.2 million) move to Arsenal.
Gyökeres has emerged as Europe's most discussed striker in recent months, thanks to his impressive tally of 97 goals in 102 matches since his arrival at Sporting CP in 2023.
The Swedish forward is set to fill the striker void that Arsenal has struggled with during three unsuccessful Premier League title campaigns. However, concerns remain valid, as Gyökeres lacks experience at elite level outside Portugal, and Portuguese league transfers don't always translate to success elsewhere.
"He's an exceptional talent, without question," Mourinho shared with Record.
"However, Sporting built their entire system around him, perfectly tailored to his strengths. I'm uncertain what [sporting director] Hugo Viana and Ruben [Amorim] originally envisioned; he possesses tremendous potential. Yet in England, he'll face superior opposition and more skilled players."
While players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Díaz, Rúben Dias, and Bruno Fernandes have flourished in English football after departing Portugal, Darwin Núñez represents the latest high-profile striker arrival—sharing similarities with Gyökeres as a goal-scoring forward—who has encountered difficulties.
Jackson Martínez (Atlético Madrid), Bas Dost (Eintracht Frankfurt), and Carlos Vinícius (Tottenham Hotspur) serve as additional examples of forwards who couldn't replicate their Liga Portugal statistics.
Mourinho's Chelsea 'More Invincible' Than Arsenal
Mourinho regards his inaugural Chelsea squad, spanning 2004 to 2006, as superior to Arsenal's Invincibles and the greatest Premier League team in history.
Chelsea hadn't claimed England's top division title for fifty years when Mourinho joined during Roman Abramovich's second year of ownership, with the Portuguese manager securing the championship in a record-setting first campaign. The Blues successfully defended their crown the subsequent season with another commanding performance.
Despite Arsenal completing an entire top-flight season without defeat for the first time since Preston North End achieved this feat 116 years prior, Chelsea's 2004–05 campaign established a Premier League points record (95) that remained intact until 2018–19. They also recorded the most victories (29) in a 38-match season at that point, along with the most clean sheets (25) and fewest goals allowed (15). Two decades later, both defensive records remain unmatched.
Although Arsenal remained undefeated throughout 2003–04, Mourinho maintains Chelsea's 2004–05 season was superior, further strengthened by successfully defending their title.
"I believe Chelsea represented the finest Premier League team in history," Mourinho declared.
"Two decades have passed since that squad existed. Arsenal achieved invincibility, but only across one season. We demonstrated greater invincibility across two campaigns. They were an outstanding team. We missed Champions League glory only due to the absence of goal-line technology [against Liverpool]."