Sweden begin their campaign away to Romania on Friday, 25 September. Gyökeres, 28, scored 14 goals in 36 Premier League appearances last season and struck the decisive goal against Poland in the World Cup play-off final, but has found game time hard to come by at Arsenal this term and has faced growing scrutiny over his performances.
"Things happen. It goes up and down, just as it does in life," Potter said at a press conference.
"He is a Premier League winner. He scored a lot of goals as a No. 9 for Arsenal. He was incredible in qualifying and also had a good World Cup."
Potter is hopeful the international break can offer Gyökeres a reset.
"As I said — it's part of a footballer's life. Things can happen quickly and we just have to deal with it," he said. "Sometimes a change of environment can help a player, and we're all looking forward to having Viktor with us. We're going to help him enjoy his football."
One player missing from the squad is Tottenham Hotspur winger Dejan Kulusevski, who has not featured since May 2025 because of a long-term knee injury. Potter explained the thinking behind the omission.
"First he needs to be involved with Tottenham, and it's ultimately up to them. They see him every day and are best placed to make that decision," he said. "When he's not involved there, it's difficult for us to select him — even if we want to."
Kulusevski was recently back in full training with Tottenham but suffered a fresh setback and has not been available for selection this season. In 146 appearances for the London club, he has registered 25 goals and 30 assists since joining from Juventus.
Sweden's four-team Nations League group also includes a home fixture to come later in the campaign, with Potter looking to build early momentum after guiding the country to its first World Cup finals since 2018 earlier this year.