Arsenal have been tipped to splash out for a top Premier League forward after confirming that striker Gabriel Jesus will undergo surgery after suffering a cruciate ligament injury to his knee.
The Brazil international was forced off on a stretcher in the first half of Arsenal’s FA Cup third-round tie against Manchester United on Sunday night before Mikel Arteta’s side went on to lose the game on penalties.
Speaking after the game, Arteta went on to describe Jesus’ injury as a “big worry” and revealed the 27-year-old was in “a lot of pain” – and now the north London club have confirmed that the attacker will have an operation this week.
A statement from Arsenal on Tuesday afternoon read: “Further to being substituted during our match with Manchester United on Sunday, Gabriel Jesus has received extensive assessments, scans and specialist reviews which have confirmed that he has sustained an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
“Gabby will undergo surgery in the coming days and will soon begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme.
“We will continue to keep everyone updated with Gabby’s recovery, with everyone at the club fully focused on supporting Gabby to ensure he is back to full fitness as soon as possible.”
In terms of who could come in to bolster the No.9 position, the Gunners are reported to have been turned down with a cheeky offer to sign Juventus frontman Dusan Vlahovic, who has been told he can leave Turin for the right price.
However, their hopes of bringing in long-term target Alexander Isak have been foiled by Newcastle’s insistence that the Swedish striker is not for sale during the January window.
One target who could be attainable though is brilliant Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo and Arsenal insider Charles Watts claims the Bees star would be an “excellent fit” at The Emirates.
Mbeumo offers cover for Saka and Jesus
Already needing more cover for Bukayo Saka, things got worse for Arsenal over the weekend when Jesus was carried off against United, and the fact that Mbeumo can play out wide and through the middle makes him a perfect option for the Gunners.
Mbeumo’s brace against Southampton just over a week ago put him on 13 Premier League goals for the campaign, while he also makes a habit of scoring against the big boys too after strikes against Tottenham, Newcastle, Chelsea and Arsenal ths season – putting him behind only Mohamed Salah and Erling Harland in the top goalscorer standings.
And although Watts knows it will take big money for Brentford to consider selling their star man, a move to Arsenal could end up being pivotal to their hopes of securing silverware this term.
Indeed, Watts said: “Bryan Mbeumo is a fine player enjoying another excellent season for Brentford. Arsenal are believed to be one of a few top clubs keeping an eye on his progress, but Brentford would be very reluctant to let him go halfway through the season. It would take big, big money to get him out of west London this month.
“I do think he would be an excellent fit at Arsenal though, and if there was a chance to sign him this month, he would be a player that it would be worth overpaying slightly for. He knows the Premier League so would be ready to hit the ground running straight away, and would be able to slot straight into the hole on the right side of the attack that has been left vacant by the injured Bukayo Saka.
“When you sign someone in January you really want them to be able to come in and make an impact straight away and that’s what Mbeumo could do. There would be no acclimatisation period, and he would be arriving full of confidence, given the goals he has scored this season. I think it would be a fantastic January signing.”
The Gunners are back in action with the small matter of a London derby against Tottenham on Wednesday night, with Kai Havertz set to lead the line and looking to bounce back from a poor display personally in the FA Cup defeat.
Latest Arsenal news: Gunners pipped by Man Utd for teenage defender / Double transfer boost
Manchester United are on the cusp of making Diego Leon the first new signing of the Ruben Amorim era and have beaten Arsenal to his services, according to a report.
Leon travelled to England on Sunday to undergo his medical and get to know his new club. He will spend the rest of the season back in Paraguay before officially linking up with Amorim’s squad in July.
According to The Telegraph, United beat Premier League rivals Arsenal to Leon’s capture. Arsenal had held talks with Cerro Porteno for the highly rated 17-year-old, only for United to swoop in and win the transfer race.
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta is hoping to kickstart what he hopes will be a monumental few months in the transfer market after reports in Spain claimed Nico Williams had given his blessing to join the Gunners with the north London side also eyeing a new striker in addition to the capture of Martin Zubimendi.
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