Former Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres took it upon himself to prove one of his coaches wrong after doubt was cast over a particular facet of his play. The Arsenal transfer target has turned the alleged weakness into a strength of his game after being exiled from free-kick duties while with the Sky Blues. Gyokeres, 27, has undergone a remarkable transformation at Sporting CP , going from a Championship prospect to one of Europe's most sought-after stars in just a couple of seasons. The Gunners have reportedly made a breakthrough in talks to sign the Swede after director Andrea Berta flew to Lisbon to advance the deal. Dennis Lawrence served as first-team coach at Coventry under Mark Robins when Gyokeres was at the club between 2021 and 2023. And it was there that the former Wrexham defender made the mistake of telling the striker something he couldn't do. Gyokeres, who is understood to be eager to join Arsenal , has scored three direct free-kicks in his career, all of which he bagged during the 2024/25 campaign for Sporting - against Braga, Nacional and Moreirense. But there was a time when the forward was told in no uncertain terms he didn't have what it takes to be on set pieces for his former Championship employers. "I had to laugh when I saw he scored a free-kick for Sporting," Lawrence told BBC Sport before revealing his seven-word message to the player, prohibiting him from the dead-ball duties. "At Coventry, he would try free-kicks [in training] and I would say, 'No, you're not on free-kicks, Viktor.' "But his mentality is, 'No, I know I can do this.' And he's scoring these incredible free-kicks now. He's got that ability to focus on and achieve anything he wants." The story illustrates yet another part of Gyokeres' play that has come on leaps and bounds since leaving England. And it serves to underline the player's stubborn mentality when it comes to being told he's not capable of something. Lawrence, who's now assistant coach at Major League Soccer side Minnesota United, won't be the only one surprised at how the player has developed. Gyokeres' 97 goals in only 102 appearances for Sporting lies in stark contrast to the 40 finishes he registered in 97 outings at Coventry. Robins wasn't the only manager who may feel somewhat hard done by considering what Gyokeres has gone on to achieve in recent seasons. The hitman spent three-and-a-half years on the books at Brighton but failed to make a single Premier League appearance for the club. He also endured an unremarkable return of one goal in 12 games on loan at Swansea at the end of 2020. That barren run further highlights the changes he has made to his game since then, but more specifically since moving to Portugal in 2023. Now in his prime years, it would be a wonder if Gyokeres were able to keep repeating the trick by continuing to add to his arsenal. But Lawrence's comments suggest he at least possesses the necessary mindset to prove any doubters wrong when it comes to his ability. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.