Arsenal are set to announce the capture of Gabriel Jesus.
According to The Daily Mail, Arsenal have agreed a £50 million figure with Manchester City to sign the Brazil international.
There have already been photographs of Jesus embracing the Gunners’ transfer guru Edu at London Colney, before the 25-year-old himself was also pictured at the Emirates Stadium.
When it’s confirmed, the South American attacker will be the North Londoners’ fourth signing of the summer, after Marquinhos, Matt Turner and Fabio Vieira.
It is assumed that Jesus will rival Eddie Nketiah for the number nine shirt in Mikel Arteta’s attack.
However, former Arsenal player Stewart Robson isn’t entirely convinced that he has the qualities to be the focal point in the Gunners’ forward line, claiming that Jesus is more suited to the right-hand side.
He told ESPN: “I think he’s probably best when he plays on the right-hand side. It’s a bit of a gamble for Arsenal because when I have seen him play up front by himself for Man City, he’s been lost and with his back to goal, I don’t think he’s particularly good. That’s a bit of a worry for me.”
One look at Jesus’s Premier League statistics might illustrate that Robson has a point.
From 159 Premier League appearances, the Arsenal-bound attacker has managed 58 goals.
That isn’t an awful return, but it isn’t a stellar one either and considering what sort of supporting players he had at Eastlands under Pep Guardiola, well perhaps Robson is right in saying that Jesus isn’t a proper striker.
What cost Arsenal last season was goals – or a lack of – because Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang both endured difficult seasons, with the latter leaving in January.
But is Jesus prolific enough to be the sort of player who the Gunners need? Well, time will tell.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
