Transfer Profile: Gabriel Jesus

Transfer Profile: Gabriel Jesus

By Jonny Bray
Gabriel Jesus divides opinion among football fans and pundits alike.
On his day, the Brazilian international is a world-class goal scorer who can be deployed anywhere across a front three.
But in the eyes of many, the 25-year-old has been a disappointing let down, having joined Manchester City from Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras with a fantastic reputation.
It is not that the striker has played poorly at the Etihad Stadium.
In fact, he has been a consistent performer under Pep Guardiola when given the opportunity.
But some fans and pundits believe that he has not lived up to the high expectations placed upon him after making his debut in the 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur in January 2017.
The papers are reporting that after five years in Manchester, Jesus could be on his way to North London.
But would he be the right fit for Mikel Arteta's side ahead of next season?

How has he done at Manchester City?

Jesus' Premier League record of 58 goals and 29 assists in 156 appearances for City is pretty outstanding. 
What is particularly impressive about his record is that so many of his appearances have come from the substitute's bench. 
In total, he has come off the bench 60 times in the league during his City career - more than a third of his appearances - but that has not prevented him from making an impact on his side. 
Annoyingly for Arsenal, Jesus has begun to start more games since the departure of City legend Sergio Agüero, so it would be strange to see him leave when a more consistent starting spot is within touching distance. 

How would he do at Arsenal?

Jesus would be a brilliant addition to Arteta's side. 
The team is crying out for a first-choice striker, preferably one who can contribute in the big moments. 
Jesus may not be the full package yet, but if given consistent game time, he has the quality to be one of the Premier League's best. 
So, it makes perfect sense to go after the Brazillian international, even if he would come with a mouth-watering price tag. 
Following Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's departure and Alexandre Lacazette's decline, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Gunners need a new striker. 
For that reason, Jesus may prove to be worth the price tag. 
Having Jesus, Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah as options upfront would be a significant improvement on this season's forward line. 

Conclusion

He would be a brilliant addition to Arsenal and would genuinely improve the starting team. 
He also has plenty of experience of winning at the highest level, something this Arsenal side severely lacks. 
He has won the Premier League, and he could have won the Champions League by the time the summer transfer window opens.
There is just one problem.
Jesus does not look like he wants to join Arsenal. 
The week the rumours first began to emerge in the press, the striker scored four times against Watford.
In doing so, he made his desire to prove he is good enough to break into the City side abundantly clear. 
If Arteta can convince him to come south, then brilliant, but if not, then Arsenal must be ready to move quickly and sign a different striker ahead of next season. 
Photo Credit: Getty Images 

Popular posts from this blog

What have we learned from Arsenal's pre-season so far?

Image
  Arsenal – what have we learned from pre-season? By Jack Lacey-Hatton It only feels five minutes since Euro 2020, but incredibly we are just one week away from the new Premier League season starting. Arsenal will travel to newly promoted Brentford for a London derby in front of a noisy crowd next Friday night, not the easiest of starts to the new campaign. But what sort of shape are Mikel Arteta’s side in, going into what could be a defining season for the manager? We took a close look at what we have learnt from the pre-season period and what kind of shape the squad are in.   The new signings are ready to go It has been a mixed transfer window so far. Some fans would have expected more both leaving and arriving at the Emirates stadium over the summer. But positives can be taken - Ben White has arrived from Brighton for £50million, and highly-rated full back Nuno Tavares has come in from Benfica. Albert Sambi Lokonga completes the 2021 summer singings so far. Cruc...
Read more

Transfer Profile: Ruben Neves

Image
Transfer Profile: Ruben Neves By Jonny Bray It is hard to believe that Ruben Neves is still only 25-years-old.   It feels as if the Portuguese international has been tipped for big things for nearly a decade now.  With the midfielder out of contract in 2023, it appears his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers could be coming to an end.  Understandably, with a player like Neves on offer for a reduced price, clubs around Europe are queueing up to secure the international's signature.  So, after all this time, should Arsenal move for Ruben Neves now, or is it time for the Gunners to turn their attention to a new target?  What would he bring?  Arsenal do not have enough defensive midfielders.  Martin Ødegaard, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka give Mikel Arteta plenty of midfield options going forward, but the Gunners have been found lacking when out of possession this season. Thomas Partey has been in and out of the side due to injuries, a fact that has not hel...
Read more

Where will Arsenal finish this season?

Image
Where will Arsenal finish this season? By Alec McQuarrie Arsenal have made steady improvement over the last few seasons under Mikel Arteta. After finishing 8th in his debut season, the Spaniard oversaw a five-point improvement in his first full campaign.  And last year an eight-point leap followed, which was unfortunately not enough to pip Tottenham to fourth place.  Cruelly, the 69 points accumulated would have been enough to seal Champions League qualification in the previous two seasons.  Looking at the trajectory over the Arteta era, it would be fair to assume a continued improvement this coming season.  After all, with five signings already secured this summer and Alexandre Lacazette the sole first-team player to depart, surely fourth place should be a bare minimum expectation.  Oleksandr Zinchenko offers much-needed cover at left-back and competition for central midfield.  Gabriel Jesus is a proven goalscorer and brings a tireless work-ethic to fulfil...
Read more