Gabriel Jesus is reportedly being targeted by Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli as he faces competition from Kai Havertz for playing time at Arsenal.
The Brazilian striker has been a key player at the Emirates over the last few seasons. However, injuries and a dip in form have led Mikel Arteta to favour Kai Havertz ahead of him. Since joining Arsenal last season, the German has become a favourite of the manager. Reports suggest that the Gunners are looking to sign a new striker this summer, which would further limit Jesus’s opportunities to play.
Al-Ahli is looking to capitalise on this situation by pursuing Jesus. According to a report in The Sun, the Saudi club is keen on signing either Jesus or Tottenham’s Richarlison in this transfer window.
While Jesus remains an important player for Arsenal, the Gunners might not stand in his way if he wants to leave. Arsenal may need to sell players before making new signings, and if Jesus is open to the move, it could lead them to accept Al-Ahli’s offer for the striker.
Just Arsenal Opinion
Jesus has not scored enough goals for us and we can allow him to depart the club if he wants to leave. The money from his sale will make it easier for us to sign a replacement.
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Why just talk about how many goals he has scored? You can hit a long ball to Jesus, you can have confidence he can control it, shield it, play very well with his back to goal, for what this brings to transition leads to goals for the team. In this Arsenal squad, who can hold and shield and play back to goal as well as Jesus? Saka perhaps. Maybe Ødegaard. Let’s value what this brings to a team, not rate forwards just on goals?
Look how painful it was watching an England side hapless at holding the ball long enough to transition into something more creative?
OMG I will miss him. We should have signed Zirzee with his stylish play. We don’t have another entertainer in the team!!!
Already missing a player who has not left the club? He’s not even leaving to start with.
If the reported £55 million is true, I say we take it and reinvest in another striker and winger.
I think some fans are missing an important point about this story – does Jesus (at the still young age of 27) really want to go to Saudi?
I can understand players towards the end of their careers wanting one final, big, payday, but at 27? It’s certainly a very wealthy league but in football terms, it’s still a backwater and not exactly the place to get noticed for, say, international selection. Would Jesus not be thinking about that?
Personally, I doubt he’ll see Saudi as destination for him at this stage in his career. It would be a big plus for Arsenal if he did of course as they desperately need a 20+ goals a season striker and, unfortunately, Jesus just isn’t it.
Diaby as just or is about to go there at the age of 25 ,I would imagine 400k a week was a big factor .
The Saudis are the only teams that we would get a decent transfer amount for him .
If the reports are true, ESR, by playing meagre number of minutes last season and being riddled with injury, is fetching around 35mil, what do you think Jesus will fetch? Lower than 35mil?
Yes, but one swallow doesn’t make a summer as they say.
The overwhelming majority of players who go to Saudi (and who are generally regarded as top quality) are towards the end of their careers.
It’s right that Saudi clubs offer good fees, but the player still has to want to/agree to go there. Jesus has a contract (to 2027) with Arsenal so is perfectly entitled to say “No” – as he is to any other club – despite what Arsenal may hope for.
I cant see any reason to keep hold of Jesus if a decent enough offer came in. We get alot of negativity about Havertz on here but lets be honest it was the Brazilian upfront for the first half of the season and the Aston Villa game. The games that cost us the league if im being honest. I feel the modern day Brazilian forwards just dont cut it in the PL.
I still say we should see it as what different skill sets are brought to the team, like holding the ball so play can transition, as it unlocks how the team plays well, not just goals and assists they personally contribute. If a squad looses its back to goal holders, its drop shoulder beat the man’ers, all the other players stats and performances will be diminished.
The performances of International sides shoe horning too many like for like players in a side, ignoring water carriers and transitioning play, is a case in point.
I think an important consideration is timing. If they came earlier,it would have been easier to sell because that would give Arsenal sufficient time to get a replacement. But with just three weeks to the start of the campaign, it would be unwise to move him on. There aren’t many world class strikers in the market waiting to be signed and even if Arsenal signed a new striker, he could take time to adapt. With very tough fixtures to start the season,it’s prudent to keep him. Liverpool rejected late bids for Salah last season for the same reasons.
Jesus looks very fit right now. Leaner, and sharp. If he gets to even 90% of his initial levels when he joined us, he will be a valuable asset.
I don’t see a reason to sell him this season, next season, I wouldn’t mind. If he stays fit, he might just be the right back up we need for Saka.
He isn’t a goal scorer but it’s mostly his decision making in the box that makes his goal tally low. He can be too tedious and not straight forward. If he just changes his mentality a bit by going direct and not take too many touches, which is btw doable, he will easily increase his goal tally.
The problem is the things he does before the final shot/pass are the things that make him the player he is. If you take away other aspects and just want him to shoot on site we might as well keep Nkeitah.
I think it’s about being more mature with age and temperament. A bit more control and measure can always be taught. Good judgement as well. What he does before he reaches the right spot is terrific. It’s just about being a bit more aware of when to drop the trickery and touches and go for the goal instead.
Nketiah’s shooting isn’t that good compared to Jesus. Maybe a slightly better, but maybe. What Nketiah has is a bit more direct approach within the box, but getting there is difficult for him, not for Jesus. Getting there is the more important and then the decision making.