Arsenal has faced challenges in their attacking lineup due to the absence of their main striker, Gabriel Jesus, who has been sidelined with a knee injury during their title pursuit.
Despite being available for selection and sitting on the bench for Arsenal’s recent victory over Newcastle, Jesus was not brought into the game. This marks his absence from the team for the past five matches, with Mikel Arteta revealing concerns about fluid accumulation around the Brazilian star’s knee.
Injuries have been a persistent issue for Jesus during his tenure at Arsenal, prompting speculation that the club may seek additional options for the center-forward position in the upcoming transfer window. Among the potential targets is Ivan Toney from Brentford, known for his consistent availability due to his good injury record.
While Toney remains a candidate, Arsenal is expected to explore multiple options for strengthening their attacking line, along with midfield and winger positions, in the summer transfer market. The club aims to avoid being drawn into bidding wars but is determined to address the center-forward position, which has been a priority.
Arsenal are also eyeing on Osimhen
Despite Jesus’ recent absence, Arsenal is optimistic that his rest will allow him to contribute fully to their title and Champions League aspirations. Brazilian football authorities also anticipate his fitness for an upcoming international camp.
Arteta remains confident in Jesus’ ability to provide crucial goals for Arsenal’s ambitions, despite his limited scoring output of eight goals in all competitions this season due to injury setbacks. In the meantime, the team has relied on Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz to fill the void upfront, although neither is seen as a long-term solution in the No. 9 role.
“So we just work hard, enjoy ourselves on the pitch and that’s what we did today. We all trust ourselves and we know what quality we all have. We have to give trust to each other and that’s what we’ve done.
“It’s not only because of the strikers that you don’t score goals, defenders can score goals for us. That’s so important.”
