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Multiple sources in England have confirmed that Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus is on the verge of a move to Arsenal from Manchester City. The move is reported to be worth around £45 million, excluding add-ons. The 25-year-old striker is expected to complete his medical and sign for the club this week. Jesus will be the fourth signing for the Gunners this summer, joining Portuguese midfielder Fabio Vieira, Brazilian forward Marquinhos and American goalkeeper Matt Turner.
So far, the Gunners have shown intent in the transfer window this summer. The signing of Vieira was a statement that there was more to come. The possible signing of Gabriel Jesus might showcase the club's ambition for the new season. With the Jesus transfer in its final stages, what does this signing mean for Arsenal?
#1 A long-term striker
Since last summer, the Gunners have lost both leaders in their attack. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang departed the club for Barcelona in January, and the Gunners refused to renew Alexander Laccazette's contract. The French forward is set to leave the club at the end of June and join Lyon on a free transfer. In the same vein, they managed to renew the contract of local boy Edward Nketiah, even giving him the club’s iconic No. 14.
At 25, Gabriel Jesus is one of the most exciting young strikers in the world. Having joined Manchester City at 19, he has managed 58 league goals across his five-and-a-half years at the club, scoring a goal every 107 minutes. With the Gunners, he has a team where he can be the star player for years. He also possesses the ability and Premier League experience to lead the attack for this young Arsenal side.
#2 Firm sights on Champions League return
Arsenal’s last Champions League outing was a 10-2 aggregate demolition by Bayern Munich in the Round of 16 of the 2016-17 edition. Since then, all their attempts to return to Europe’s most elite club competition have been to no avail. The Gunners came close last season, losing out on the final qualification spot after consecutive defeats to rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United towards the end of the season.
The likes of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith-Rowe, Martin Ødegaard and Gabriel Martinelli were impressive in their attack last season. However, the arrival of Jesus might hand the necessary boost to the attack that Arsenal need. Although the upporting cast at Arsenal is a substantial dip compared to that at City, it might just be enough quality service for him to score the goals that will make the Gunners play Champions League football again.
#3 Bigger signs of Arteta's Arsenal process
Mikel Arteta took charge at the Gunners following the sacking of Unai Emery in December 2019. Since the Spaniard took over, there has been talk of his process and the fans trusting it. In his first half-season in charge, he guided the club to an FA Cup trophy and an eighth-place finish. A season later and the Gunners retained their eighth place with no trophy. Last season showed improvement as the club managed a fifth-place finish.
There is progress at the club. Arteta has released big earners like Mesut Ozil and Aubameyang from the club and brought in younger players willing to play his style of football. The signing of Jesus is yet another sign of Arteta’s process and the growth at the club since his arrival.
# 4 More to come
The arrival of Gabriel Jesus is the biggest transfer for the Gunners this summer. There are glaring signs, however, that there's more to come. The club still need quality depth in several areas of their team. In defense, Rob Holding is not a quality back-up.
In midfield, there’s still no like-for-like replacement for Granit Xhaka. The Gunners have reportedly been linked to Lisandro Martinez of Ajax, Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans and Leeds United forward Raphinha.
Should the Gunners manage to pull-off the transfer of these players, Arteta and sporting director, Edu can pat themselves on the back.
