ARSENAL READY TO SELL £45M STAR IN JANUARY
Arsenal are reportedly ready to consider offers for striker Gabriel Jesus in the January transfer window. The Brazilian has fallen in the pecking order after injuries and new signings.
According to reports, when the January transfer market opens, Arsenal will be prepared to consider bids for Gabriel Jesus.
In July 2022, Mikel Arteta persuaded the Brazilian to follow in his footsteps from Manchester City to the Emirates, as the Gunners finalised a £45 million agreement to capture Jesus.
The attacker ended his rookie season with 11 goals across all competitions, raising hopes that Jesus could fill the vacuum left by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette that same summer.
However, during the past two years, Jesus has only managed seven league goals, and his poor form and fitness issues have caused him to fall down the north London hierarchy.
After a trophy-filled five-and-a-half-year stint at the Etihad, when he lifted eleven pieces of silverware, Jesus will be extremely disappointed that he has yet to win a major title with Arsenal.
Jesus, 28, has not played this season and hopes to return to first-team action in the New Year after suffering an ACL tear in January.
However, the Mail Online claims that there is a good likelihood that Jesus' FA Cup loss to Manchester United, in which he suffered a catastrophic knee injury, will be the striker's last game for the Gunners.
Because of Kai Havertz's readiness and ability to play as a false nine and Viktor Gyokeres' summer signing from Sporting, Jesus is currently considered surplus to needs in Arteta's squad.
According to the source, club executives are open to proposals for the Brazil international, even though Arsenal is anticipating a "calm" winter window after a summer of extravagant spending.
Jesus has been the subject of intense interest from Flamengo and Palmeiras in recent weeks, as well as Everton, who are rumoured to be serious about making a January bid for the former City player.
Jesus has a deal with Arsenal that expires in June 2027.
Jakub Kiwior, Karl Hein, Reiss Nelson, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Fabio Vieira were permitted to go on loan, while Nuno Tavares, Marquinhos, and Albert Sambi Lokonga all left Arsenal for nominal sums before the 2024–25 season.
Meanwhile, Kieran Tierney, Jorginho, and Thomas Partey let their contracts expire and went on free transfers.
Arsenal icon Alan Smith hinted that the team could be better off "moving on" from Jesus in an exclusive interview with Metro this summer.
Smith claims that when Jesus does fully recover, he will probably find it difficult to play regular minutes due to the £55 million arrival of Viktor Gyokeres.
"Given his history of ailments, I believe someone like Gabriel Jesus might go," Smith stated.
You might say, "Thanks!" to him, try to move on, and try to acquire some cash in exchange.
With Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres, there may not be many opportunities for him this season, of course.
WHAT IS THE "AURA" MIKEL ARTETA SEES IN BUKAYO SAKA’S RECENT PERFORMANCES?
"He shifts momentum." Read Mikel Arteta’s full analysis of Bukayo Saka’s importance ahead of the crucial West Ham showdown.
Mikel Arteta sees something special in Bukayo Saka’s presence on the pitch, an “aura” that he believes could drive Arsenal toward a Premier League title, just three games away from ending a 22-year wait.
During Saka’s recent absence with an Achilles injury, Arsenal managed only a single win in five matches. His return, however, seemed to breathe new life into the squad. Saka set up Viktor Gyokeres for the opener before scoring himself in a solid 3-0 victory over Fulham last weekend.
More crucially, Saka netted the decisive goal that helped Arsenal secure a 2-1 aggregate win over Atlético Madrid, booking their first Champions League final appearance since 2006.
Since making his debut for the Gunners seven years ago, the England international now carries the hopes of pushing Arsenal for vital points, starting with a key clash against relegation-threatened West Ham at the London Stadium, followed by matches against Burnley at home and Crystal Palace away on the season’s final day.
When asked about Saka’s importance, Arteta highlighted the growing role he plays not just within the team but also in how opponents see him. There’s a clear presence, a certain quality that sets him apart. According to Arteta, Saka can shift a game’s momentum at any time, and instilling that kind of respect or even fear in the opposition is invaluable.
Arteta also touched on managing Saka’s comeback after injury, emphasising the idea of channelling fresh energy and motivation into his performance rather than rushing him back too soon. He described it as a privilege to have a player like Saka, someone who embodies core values and principles, both on and off the pitch. Beyond the football, there’s a human connection that makes working with him rewarding. What Saka showed, especially in the recent Champions League semifinal, was nothing short of remarkable.
Alongside Saka, Declan Rice has also become a pivotal figure since his £100 million move from West Ham last year. Now 27, Rice will make his 59th appearance of the season when Arsenal faces his former club on Sunday. His impact has been significant, earning him runner-up in the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award behind Bruno Fernandes.
Arteta praised Rice as a key leader and a major force for the team, underlining the powerful role he plays as Arsenal chase success this season.
WHY DID JURRIEN TIMBER’S "SIMPLE" INJURY TURN INTO A SEASON-ENDING MEDICAL MYSTERY?
After reaching the Champions League final, Arsenal face a fitness race for key stars ahead of their clash with West Ham.
Mikel Arteta has admitted that both Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber are running out of time to get fit before the season ends – a tough setback for Arsenal right now.
Both have been out for weeks, dealing with foot and ankle injuries. The hope was always that they’d be back for the final stretch, giving Arsenal a boost when it matters most. This week, Merino at least made it back onto the training pitch, but Arteta has confirmed neither he nor Timber will be involved in Sunday’s big match against West Ham.
Arteta said he has no new injury problems elsewhere, but for Merino or Timber to play before the end of the season, their recoveries would have to be almost perfect. Timber’s situation in particular has turned out to be more complicated than they first thought.
“That’s probably been the hardest part for everyone. For me, for the player,” Arteta said. “We really didn’t think it would take this long, and he’s still not ready.”
Meanwhile, things are going well for Arsenal on the pitch. They’ve pulled five points clear at the top of the Premier League, and they just beat Atletico Madrid, booking a spot in their first Champions League final in two decades.
There’s still a twist, though. Manchester City play Brentford first this weekend, and they still have a game in hand. Even so, if Arsenal win their last three matches, the title is theirs.
Next up is West Ham, who are fighting to avoid relegation and could easily trip Arsenal up. Arteta knows his team can’t afford any slip-ups. “After the Atletico win, I was completely caught up in the emotion. You could feel what it meant to everyone fans and the staff. But straight after, my focus went to West Ham,” he said.
“We talked as a team about how we’ve earned the chance to be in the final, and we have time to get ready, but right now, all our focus and all the details need to go into West Ham.”
